AlphaOmega
by Shinova
Summary: [Tsukihime] A stranger is stalking the streets. He can see lines of death. Tohno Shiki intends to find out who he is, where he came from, and why he's here.
1. Chapter 1

Note: This story was a little thing I cooked up for a Typemoon fanfic contest held by some forumgoers. Unfortunately the story I had in mind was kinda big and the amount of time given for the contest was only a few days. In retrospect, I would've been a lot better off if I had done a shorter, but maybe a bit more "artistic" piece of work, but what's done is done. I ended up trying to finish this thing in one go. It took me over 50 hours of almost non-stop work to finish this (the quality noticeably drops off near the end ), but I managed to finish it in my sleep-deprived, zombie-like state (I slept 17 hours after that). It tied for second place, and there was no second place prize ( XO ), and personally I'm not proud of this work. But the experience did teach me thing or two. Maybe later, when I'm not so busy with real-life and all that, I'll take the time and effort to post something the Typemoon fandom better deserves.

So why am I posting this on my account, which I haven't used in literally years? Well, I saw today that someone had posted a Tsukihime fic on the first Typemoon-based fanfic ever on this site, probably. To celebrate that, and to contribute as a fellow Typemoon fan, I decided to post this in support of a hopeful rise of a Typemoon niche and community on And so, for our fandom and for fans in general, here be:

**Alpha/Omega**

A Tsukihime fanfiction by Shinova

Tsukihime and Kara no Kyoukai are creations of Kinoko Nasu and Typemoon

All other works belong to their respective owners

Chapter 1: Dreams

Tohno Shiki dreamt like no other boy in the world. Under the sway of a wide variety of influences, such as Ren, Kohaku, the original Tohno Shiki, and many more, Shiki had dreamt of stranger, yet truer things in the past couple of years than most people have in their entire lifetimes.

Tonight's was stranger than usual though, even for someone like Shiki. The world was coming apart. That was the only way he could describe it. His mind felt as if it were being pulled in every conceivable direction at once and he could see images and visions flashing through his consciousness like a train speeding through his brain. He saw himself, walking home from school with Satsuki; his sister, Akiha, when she and him were both young; Hisui; Kohaku looking down from a window; other memories like such from his past. Then there were those visions which he could not associate with: a courtyard of people, their blood running like a river; a young girl standing in a field of white flowers; a world on fire; a pair of laughing golden eyes looking down at him; and more. The rest were too fleeting to catch.

Voices and whispers assaulted him. Strange languages, voices that were inhuman...it was as if the entire world were speaking to him...the trees, the grass, the animals, the wind, the sun, the sky...

_Stop!_, Shiki wanted to scream, but couldn't. He could do nothing but feel---powerlessly accept this thundering hurricane of thoughts and echoes. Then suddenly, the thundering roar of the world slowed to a hazy trickle. He could see light, and beyond it a world of ash and dust, where nothing but the wind stirred. Before he could ask himself, _what's that_, he was pulled through and beyond that unfamiliar landscape. The thundering roar resumed and escalated to a scream. Shiki felt as if he could die now. Everything there had been, was, and will be were coming together into a light of infinite brightness in front of him. And this light spoke.

"Shiki-sama, it's time to wake up."

"_Waaaaahh!_" Shiki screamed as he bolted upright in his bed, startling Hisui, who jumped a step backwards in response.

"Shiki-sama!" Hisui exclaimed in surprise.

Shiki grabbed his face, gasping for air, the sweat trickling down his forehead and over the back of his hands.

"Shiki-sama, are you alright?" Hisui asked after regaining her composure.

Shiki glanced sideways at Hisui, then closed eyes, regaining his breath.

"Yes, I'm fine now," he said, slowly returning to a normal sense of self, like a balloon deflating after being overfilled with air.

Hisui nodded in acknowledgement. "Breakfast will be ready soon. Akiha-sama is waiting for you downstairs."

"I'll be right down. Oh, and good morning, Hisui."

"Good morning, Shiki-sama," Hisui said. She then bowed and left the room to let Shiki get ready, closing the door softly behind herself.

Shiki fell back onto his bed with a sigh, trying to come to terms with what he had experienced.

"What the hell was that..."

-----------------------------------------------------

Breakfast had passed surprisingly without incident. Kohaku's cooking was excellent as usual. Akiha had been more or less her usual quiet and stern self, and Hisui had seen Shiki out of the mansion like always. He now walked his way to school, under the gentle blue sky, accompanied by a soft breeze.

_Such good weather_, Shiki thought. In fact, it reminded him of the time he had first met Sensei on that grassy field. The wind caressing his face put his mind at ease, and he strolled casually toward school.

He met Arihiko near the school gate, the two greeting each other and walking towards the school entrance together amidst the busy bodies of fellow students.

"How have you been? Hard time sleeping?" Arihiko said, watching his friend yawn.

"Something like that," Shiki replied, rubbing his eyes.

"Your, ehem...'girlfriend' hasn't been keeping you awake again, has she?" Arihiko insinuated, gazing at Shiki with a suspecting eye.

"Wha? Where'd you..."

"I knew it! Tohno Shiki, once again proving himself the enemy of single men everywhere!" Arihiko exclaimed toward the sky, holding his head, as if asking for salvation (or for a thunderbolt to strike his friend down).

"Don't get any weird ideas! I just had some trouble sleeping, that's all." Shiki stated firmly. The idea of Arcueid crawling into his bedroom through the window at night and err...doing _that_ was still too strange for him, though he had thought about it a few times.

"Hmph! You can make up all the excuses you like, but we all know the truth," Arihiko jabbed Shiki lightly with his elbow for emphasis. "Anyway, did you finish that math homework?"

"What homework?" Shiki replied, starting to worry in a more normal, ordinary schoolboy fashion.

Before Arihiko could answer, there was a thunderous crash. Students scattered in panic as concrete started raining down from the sky. Shiki looked up to see cracks form across an entire section of the front of the school. The section then tore off from the building and fell down towards Arihiko, himself, and other students.

"Look out!"

The section smashed into the earth with a thunderous roar that could be heard from all across the city. Smoke billowed in huge clouds and suffocated the entire front yard, blanketing it in grey. The roar died out gradually, and everything became dead silent except for the high-pitched ring of a lone fire alarm somewhere nearby, piercing the shroud of dust and silence like a scream.

Those who could move slowly gathered themselves and stood up, some crying, some shouting for help, and all of them dazed and coughing in the thick dust that was just beginning to slowly clear. Students in the untouched sections of the school rushed to the windows to gaze at what had transpired, while teachers frantically contacted each other and various authorities.

Shiki coughed as he pushed himself up off of the ground. He had dove as the wall came crashing down, pushing Arihiko and himself to the ground. Thankfully, no large pieces of concrete had fallen on himself or his friend, who was also just coming around.

"What ha---_ouch!_ Ow, that hurts..." Arihiko said, wincing.

"You okay?" Shiki said, coughing between words. He looked down at his friend, who lay on his side and looked perfectly fine on the outside, but Shiki knew well that such outward appearances of apparent lack of harm could be deceiving.

"I'm fine...I think..."

"Don't move, okay? I'll get help."

Hoping his friend had suffered no serious internal injury, Shiki stood up and looked around him as the dust began to clear sufficiently for him to see around him. The school front yard resembled a destroyed city. Fallen chunks of concrete lay strewn all over the place. There were many very large pieces, amongst smaller pieces. Shiki dreaded to think that there could be people trapped underneath. As fellow students around him called for help and their friends, he crawled up a few nearby pieces to get a better look around. He scanned the front yard and stopped.

There was a person walking away from the school through the gate. He was clothed in what looked like a black school uniform. His back was to Shiki so the latter couldn't see the person very well, and the dust clouding the air didn't help either. Shiki felt strange, looking at that person. It was as if...

"Tohno-kun!"

Shiki turned around to see Ciel making her way over the concrete pieces towards his general area. "Sempai! Over here!" Shiki yelled back, waving his arms. Ciel spotted him, waving back and quickening her pace, heading directly towards him.

Shiki turned back towards the school gate but the person was no longer there. Ciel finally made it to where Shiki was. "Tohno-kun, are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Sempai, but I think Arihiko needs help," Shiki replied, jumping down to where his friend lay.

"Hey, I'm fine!" Arihiko said in response. "I just might need some time in the nurse's office...maybe take a few days off from school..."

"I think we might all get the day off," Shiki said, surveying the disaster once again.

Sirens could be heard as emergency vehicles rushed their way to the school and the announcement speakers announced the cancellation of school for the day. Meanwhile Ciel joined Shiki in clearing some of the debris around Arihiko to give him some room. All around them, fellow students did the same, helping each other up and moving debris aside, searching for anyone trapped underneath.

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Ambulances made their way back and forth from school to hospital, ferrying injured students in groups, until Arihiko too was finally taken away by an ambulance. The remaining students were either standing around or sitting down, talking about the incident, or walking home.

Shiki and Ciel stood together, solemnly watching the emergency workers sift through the remaining debris, searching for more people. Police were keeping order while firefighters made their way around the area, making sure there were no fire hazards or gas leaks. Shiki of course couldn't help but notice those students who were grieving for the lost ones. Indeed, everyone was going to be feeling this day for a long time, and perhaps for the rest of their lives.

"Quite a day," Ciel remarked, gazing out at the aftermath of the accident.

"Yes it is," Shiki replied, his eyes fixed on the gaping hole in the front of the school. His thoughts wandered back to the moment the section had crumbled and his expression darkened somewhat.

Ciel noticed this. "Is something wrong?"

Shiki glanced at her, then down at the ground as if considering his response. He looked up back at the hole, recalling the event in his mind. "It's the way that wall over there crumbled," he said, pointing to the hole now occupying the front section of the school.

"The way it crumbled?..."

"Yeah... It reminded me of how that hallway crumbled, way back when I fought Roa."

"That hallway..." Ciel thought for a moment. "You mean that hallway you killed during that fight? Are you saying there could another with eyes like yours?"

Shiki nodded. "And I saw someone walking out of the school. He didn't look like he was from here, so it could be... I'm not sure. Maybe it was just some gas explosion or something that made the wall fall. Maybe I was just imagining things."

"Well at least you're safe. I wouldn't worry too much about it, but I'll give it some thought. In the meantime, you be careful, alright, Tohno-kun?"

"I will, Sempai."

-----------------------------------------------------

Shiki bid Ciel goodbye and left for home as well. This made it the earliest Shiki had gone home early from school, as far as he could remember. The sky was still as gentle a blue as it had been in the early morning, and the breeze still soft against his face. A bit ironic, it seemed, considering the scope of the catastrophe that had just occurred.

"Shiki!" a very familiar voice called out from ahead. It was Arcueid, waving at him, a happy expression on her face. Shiki waved back, albeit half-heartedly. Arcueid reached Shiki and walked besides him. She gazed curiously at his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"No, it's...well...a lot's happened today," he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"It's your school, right? I heard about it on my way here."

Shiki inwardly sighed upon hearing that Arcueid had planned on visiting him at school _this_ early. "I bet you could hear the explosion from where you were too," he said.

"Oh yeah. But I'm happy that you're safe," Arcueid said, smiling that smile she made so often---one so light and free of doubt, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

"Sometimes I wish I could be _that_ easy-going," Shiki remarked, sighing.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

As the two walked on under the cool air in silence, Shiki decided to regain a bit of his usual optimistic self. As terrible the tragedy was, he should be glad he had lived through it, and go back to enjoying his life instead of moping over something that had already happened. At least that was what all the counseling people would say, Shiki imagined, but that didn't matter in the least. And school was cancelled, thus it would be a waste to go straight home when the weather was as nice as it was today.

"Want to go somewhere, since school's been cancelled for today?" Shiki asked Arcueid. The latter brightened at the prospect.

"I'd love to!" Arcueid replied happily.

The two spent rest of the day touring the city, eating lunch, visiting the aquarium, as if they were on a date but without the extra baggage. A relieving sense of normality gradually returned to Shiki's mind as he spent the day with Arcueid. The morning before seemed almost like merely bad dream. As for the wall, Shiki became more convinced that it had truly been an accident, nothing more, and the mysterious person a figment of his imagination. The day had been truly calming for him. Perhaps it was Arcueid's presence, and her smile and uplifting spirit especially, which Shiki observed to be strangely somewhat infectious to one's mood in a way.

When evening came, the two said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Shiki then took a quick visit to the hospital to see how Arihiko was doing. The latter was more or less fine, though he had a broken leg and a few cracked ribs. The doctor had figured that Arihiko would have to stay in the hospital for a few weeks before being allowed to go outside again in crutches or a wheelchair. Arihiko had suggested that Shiki receive the reputable honor of ferrying him via wheelchair back and forth and during school, but Shiki declined the offer---with some furor, one might add---refusing to be Arihiko's personal cab service, despite Arihiko's insistence that such a humanitarian show of kindness would grant Shiki the adoration of all the girls at school. The latter countered by noting that he had enough girl problems already, regretting saying so immediately afterwards as Arihiko demanded that Shiki regain some good karma by being his personal cab service. Somehow, Shiki managed to leave the hospital, wishing his friend good luck in getting well.

Shiki now walked alone through the almost empty streets near where his home was, whistling some random tune he had heard inside a store one time. Everything was quiet save for the crickets chirping peacefully around him. Like the day, the night was equally as gentle.

As he walked, Shiki suddenly caught sight of someone standing underneath a street lamp. The person's face was turned away from Shiki, hands resting leisurely in the pockets of the person's pants. The stranger was wearing something akin to a black school uniform-like jacket and pants, and overall he or she looked like just some random citygoer enjoying the night air as Shiki himself was doing.

Shiki cast the thoughts from the morning aside and simply walked on, intending to pass the stranger and continue on towards the mansion. Akiha would be expecting him home for dinner, and he had better not be late.

The stranger suddenly turned around to face Shiki directly. Shiki's mouth fell open in shock. The stranger simply smiled.

The person in question was an exact duplicate of Shiki. The only differences were that the stranger wore no glasses, and that the irises of his eyes were light grey---so light as to be almost white. The person's expression was peaceful, yet at the same time reminded Shiki of himself, as the murderous fiend in some of his worst nightmares.

While Shiki remained rooted to where he was standing, the stranger simply walked towards, then past Shiki. As he passed by, he nodded at Shiki as if acknowledging Shiki's state of shock knowingly and moved on into the darkness behind Shiki, then disappeared from sight.

Shiki whirled around to look at the darkness where the person had disappeared.

_This morning, at school...could he..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Alpha/Omega**

A Tsukihime fanfiction by Shinova

Tsukihime and Kara no Kyoukai are creations of Kinoko Nasu and Typemoon

All other works belong to their respective owners

Chapter 2: Under the Night Air

He knew. The person knew. That nod, that smile... It was more likely than not that this person was the same one Shiki had glimpsed walking away from the school this morning. Could it be that Shiki's original suspicion was not a simple figment of imagination but cold truth; that the person could see those dreadful lines, and had sliced across them, causing that wall to fall apart this morning, in a fashion so disturbingly similar to the school hallway Shiki himself had disassembled instantly with his knife, during the whole conflict with Roa?

The person knew that Shiki suspected. He had seemed almost amused at Shiki's suspicions. And that was all without taking into account the disturbing reality that he and Shiki appeared almost exactly alike in appearance. And that wasn't all. When that person had walked past him, Shiki had felt something strange, as if he and the other were somehow connected... No, not connected, but there was still something there. Shiki couldn't pinpoint the feeling exactly. Words failed to describe it. Thoughts could not perceive it. It was as if it were simply being...something beyond words or thought.

Shiki had been walking mindlessly toward the mansion and had almost passed it by before noticing that he was home. He opened the gate and approached the front door. Judging by the time, he was only slightly late for dinner, so Akiha shouldn't be _that_ angry, he figured.

He unlocked and opened the door, stepping in and closing the door behind himself. "I'm home," he called out.

"_Nii-san!_" the voice of an enraged Akiha reminded Shiki that he had failed to take into account the accident at school. He was immediately confronted by Akiha and the maids.

"I heard about what had happened at school, and it's late evening and you deigned it somehow unnecessary to contact us even once?" Akiha shouted.

_Oh boy_, Shiki thought, realizing his (perhaps fatal) mistake.

"Ah, about that..." he tried to say, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"No excuses! Do you have any idea how much you've had us all worried? We were almost about to report you missing! Do you have any idea how much trouble you could've caused us?"

Shiki tried to placate his sister. "Akiha, I'm sorry that I didn't contact you, I know I should've but...well at least I'm unharmed and here I am, so..."

"Don't dare think that you being alright will make the situation any better! Really, to think nothing of your own family like that in such a crisis..."

"Really, Shiki-sama!" Kohaku spoke up in a firm voice. "That's truly cruel, even for you! You almost made Akiha-sama cry!"

"Eh? I did?"

"Ah, that is, well, enough of this!" Akiha interrupted suddenly. "Since you are indeed unharmed and well, all is forgiven, I suppose." She discreetly glared at Kohaku, who merely smiled in return.

There was a long silence, where neither party could find the proper words to say. Hisui finally broke the tense silence, "Supper is waiting, Shiki-sama."

"That's right!" Kohaku added. "Since Shiki-sama is safely home, we shouldn't be fighting like this and should enjoy supper together instead."

"Oh well, I suppose so, if that's the case," Akiha

_I have been saved, thank you Kohaku-san_, Shiki thought, relieved that he had been granted the chance to live for a little longer.

"Ah, Nii-san, Hisui says she thought she saw you walking down the street a few hours ago. Well?" Akiha suddenly asked.

Shiki's eyes narrowed slightly. So _he_ really was real, and truly not a figment of Shiki's imagination. "No, I didn't. Maybe it was someone who looked like me," he said.

"I must have been seeing things. I apologize, Shiki-sama," Hisui said, bowing deeply.

"It's alright Hisui, it happens to all of us sometimes," Shiki assured Hisui, while his thoughts strayed to that person he had seen during his way to the mansion. As the household made their way to the dining room, Shiki mentally decided that he had to go see that person himself, and get some questions answered.

-----------------------------------------------------

While the Tohno household enjoyed their supper, a group of schoolgirls were walking home from a night out in a different part of town. There were five of them, and they knew well the reputation their town had received over the past years as being very dangerous to walk around in at night, especially in dark, empty streets like the one they were in at the moment. Most people tended to close shop or go home early during the evening, thus the city streets were devoid of people at these hours. Most of the girls in this group were starting to feel they should've followed that example.

"This is really getting creepy, you know!"

"I've been through here before so don't worry about it."

"But still!"

"Come'on, it's the five of us, not just you alone!"

The confident one was Yui. She had been through this part of town several times, once by herself during the night. That had been several years ago, however, but that hadn't stopped her from taking her friends for a night out and then walking the way back home.

"Like I said, I know my way around here and it's the five of us so there's really nothing to worry about," Yui assured her friends.

"You sure?"

Yui, exasperated, spun around to face her friends. "For the last time, _trust me_. _Nothing_'s going to happen. So don't worry!"

"She's right, you know," an unknown voice spoke out, freezing the girls in their steps. Before any of them could raise their voices, there was a sudden blur of movement, followed by the sound of something slicing through the air.

"Wh-What's going on?" Yui stammered, turning to her friends for an answer.

Her friends stood strangely silent. They then exploded, almost literally, their bodies coming apart in smooth chunks, the blood splashing out to stain Yui's clothes---some of it getting on her face.

Yui couldn't move. She couldn't speak, nor could she think. She could only watch with wide eyes the disassembled bodies of her friends collapse onto the pavement and drench it with their blood, slowly forming a puddle at Yui's feet. Her body trembled, and her hands raised themselves to her lips as if to try to cover her mouth in shock, but they trembled too much to do so.

"Yes, you were right to not worry, since you weren't going to be the one getting disassembled," the voice spoke again. A young man...a boy, more like...stepped out of nowhere from off to the side and moved his face in front of Yui's and gazed at hers from up close. Yui stared back. The stranger wore a warm smile that seemed so out of place with the almost white eyes that bore directly into Yui's, as if stabbing at her soul.

"It's a nice weather out. Enjoy the night," the stranger spoke again, then walked away out of view, disappearing into the night.

Yui stared at the bodies of her friends with trembling eyes and sunk to her knees. She bent over, clutching her head, and rocked back and forth, her throat making whimpering noises. She would stay that way for most of the night before finally collapsing into the pool of blood out of exhaustion.

Nearby, atop a lamppost out of view, Ciel watched what transpired below. She gazed at the black-clad figure walking away calmly, further up the street ahead. Her eyes narrowed, and she gripped her blades tightly. She then leapt off of the lamppost and into the air.

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Dinner was long finished, and most of the household were probably getting ready to sleep at this hour. Shiki had excused himself to go to bed early. It took some time convincing Akiha that he was tired and wanted to sleep early, but soon he was alone in his room, under the pretense of going to sleep. Instead, he put on his jacket, grabbed his knife, and left his room through the window for the first time in over a year. He landed softly in the front yard and discreetly made his way to the front gate, opening it and locking it behind himself as quietly as possible. He then jogged his way down the street.

Shiki was going to find that person he had seen at school and in that street. He was going to find him, and get some answers. Who was he? Why was he here? Why did he collapse that wall at school?

...Does he see the lines?

-----------------------------------------------------

The stranger strolled casually through the street under the night air. The streets were silent; no human or animal could be heard. Even the insects seemed quiet at this time, or perhaps there just weren't any in this part of town. The person suddenly stopped, smiling softly as if knowing what was coming.

A black figure jumped down from above and landed in front of him. It was a girl, garbed in a robe of some sort. The person gazed at the girl in front of him with his white eyes.

"Why?" the newcomer asked.

"Sheer curiosity, to be honest. To see how one would act in the future if the most prominent thing she saw as her friends were chopped to pieces was a warm smile." The stranger answered. "The Vatican's Burial Agency. Ciel?"

"That is correct. So you know," Ciel replied, staring at the other with narrowed eyes.

"I know things like that, among other things. I was under the impression that the Burial Agency's purpose was the extermination of vampires and other such underwordly creatures, not people."

"That too is correct. Normally I would leave a mere murder like this in the hands of the city's police, but due to the..._unusual_ nature of this, I am obligated to 'investigate.'"

"Unusual, you say?"

"Yes. I have my suspicions about certain things. For example, you have the Eyes of Death Perception, am I correct?"

The stranger laughed. "'Eyes of Death Perception?' What an incredibly crude way of calling it. Whoever coined that term knows nothing," the stranger scoffed.

"Who are you?" Ciel asked firmly.

"Hypnosis is a trick, and a highly faulty one at that, nothing more," the stranger said, pointing out Ciel's failed attempt. "But who I am...you probably already know."

Ciel merely frowned. The stranger shrugged. He then looked to the side, down the street.

"He is coming, you know," he said.

"He?"

"Yes. You know who. I have things to talk over with him. As for you," the stranger turned to face Ciel, "I have no purpose for, at least not now. The weather's brilliantly comforting tonight. Enjoy it." He then walked on, past Ciel. He made no more than ten steps past before a blade embedded itself into the pavement beside his feet.

"Stop right there," Ciel spoke out, holding a set of Black Keys in each hand.

The stranger turned around to face Ciel, a smirk on the former's face.

"I have no obligations regarding you, but for my own reasons I will be taking the liberty of executing you tonight," Ciel stated.

"I see. If that's how you want it," the stranger replied, taking his right hand out of his pocket and extending it to his side. He made a motion and a black metal bar sprang out with a click from the inside of his sleeve. His hand caught the object, spun it in a quick semicircle with his fingers then grasped it. A blade sprang out from the end, revealing the object to be a switchblade. He held it to his right and slightly behind himself, the blade pointing backwards, as he dropped into a stance.

"Eyes of Death Perception?" the stranger said, smiling. "I'll show you the _true_ meaning behind that ridiculous phrase."

Ciel spared no moment and leapt into action. The stranger swung his knife and blocked the Keys as they raked through the air in front of him. To a casual observer, Ciel would appear to disappear and then reappear behind the stranger. She stabbed at the stranger, his body shifting out of the way, his knife knocking the blades aside. This went on. Ciel zipped back and forth across the ground, off of walls, relentlessly pressing the stranger with her attacks. The stranger casually blocked or dodged each attack, moving his body only a minimal amount, letting his hand and arm do most of the work.

Ciel finally threw one set of Keys, dashed to another angle and threw her other set. The stranger leapt backwards and into the air as the Keys flew from different angles past where he had been less than a split second ago. Ciel took the opportunity and leapt straight for the stranger, another Black Key in hand. The stranger saw Ciel fly towards him like a speeding bullet. He twisted in midair and the knife flashed, turning aside the Key. The stranger's other hand became a fist and smacked Ciel in the jaw.

The two flew away from each other and landed. Ciel massaged her jaw while the stranger flipped his knife in his hand.

"The Vatican trains the Burial Agency well. No wonder, since they do the Vatican's dirty work for it," the stranger said.

Ciel said nothing, pulling out a new set of Black Keys for each hand, then diving at the stranger. The two clashed, knife and blades flashing. The stranger moved in quick, lazy curves across the ground punctuated by periodic lateral dashes, meeting each of Ciel's dashes with a knife block or a dodge.

Ciel rushed at the stranger with the intention of impaling him. The stranger jumped up and over Ciel, using one hand to handspring off of her head to give himself a little extra boost, seeming to orbit Ciel in an almost perfect circle. The other spun around and slashed at the stranger, who blocked the Keys, then spun in midair and landed a heel against Ciel's solar plexus, sending her reeling. She landed on the ground and quickly flipped to her feet and threw a Black Key at the stranger.

The stranger saw the key approaching his face and twisted his head out of its way. As it flew by, he ran his knife through it once. The Black Key spontaneously shattered into pieces and crashed to the ground.

Ciel knew then that the stranger really did posses the Eyes. She ran toward him, then suddenly dashed off towards the wall to the right, bounced off of it and onto the other side of the street, then finally dashed straight for the stranger, who could see Ciel approaching him from the right and also knew about the pair of Keys flying at him from the left---the wall Ciel had dashed off of first.

The stranger dove left, towards the incoming Keys. He spun clockwise in midair, knocking aside one with the knife and grabbing the other with his free hand. Ciel slashed at him with the Keys in her hand, which the stranger knocked aside with his knife. When his feet found purchase on the ground once more, he dashed straight at Ciel, the two crashing into each other as if in a tight hug, propelling them both forward. He then reached around her back and drove the Black Key in his hand into her left shoulder from behind, then used the Key embedded in her shoulder as a pivot to spin himself around Ciel's body until he was behind her and lashed out with a kick, hitting her spine, causing her to violently change direction and smash into the wall in front of her.

The stranger watched as Ciel slid down from the small crater she had made against the wall and stand up unsteadily, clutching her shoulder.

"Let me guess...85 centimeters?" the stranger remarked, rubbing his chin, an amused expression on his face.

Ciel glared at him in return. The stranger chuckled.

"Now," the stranger said, raising his knife, Ciel tensing in response. "Let me show you something _really_ cool."

The stranger slashed at the air in front of him. Ciel's eyes widened as the person simply vanished, the space where he had been standing seeming to distort, taking her by surprise. So taken by surprise that she did not notice him appear into thin air right next to her the same instant.

The knife flew twice. The bone in her right leg snapped in three. The Black Key in her left shoulder shattered, sending fragments twisting into the rest of the shoulder. And finally, the stranger's knee shot out and jammed itself into Ciel's back, sending her forward and sprawling onto the ground.

Ciel grimaced, swallowing down the screaming pain in her shoulder, and turned around to see the stranger walk calmly towards her.

"And now, another cool thing," he said, reaching for her head with his free hand.

Ciel expected the stranger to grab her scalp. Instead, the hand passed through and into her head, incredibly. The stranger grabbed something and touched it with a fingernail.

Ciel gasped, eyes widening, as memories, emotions, desires, and urges started pouring into her mind like water flowing out of a broken dam. Her hand flew to her head, clutching her face, her lips trembling. The stranger retracted his hand out of Ciel's head.

"Just like how a knife can pass through flesh without harm and strike poison coursing through one's body," the stranger spoke, "a hand too can pass through unimpeded. What I just touched is all that is keeping you from reverting back to your other self---that possessed vampiric butcher who made a town run red with the blood of its people, some hundred and fifty or so years ago. Elesia, correct?"

"H-How..." Ciel gasped, breathing heavily, eyes wide and hand gripping her head.

"Now you know why the term 'Eyes of Death Perception' does no justice to the real meaning behind these eyes. I will be going now. Tohno Shiki will no doubt find me. As for you, enjoy the night... And do take care of that head of yours. Its contents are more fragile than you might think," the stranger said before leaping away into the distance, leaving Ciel to struggle with the memories of her past.

-----------------------------------------------------

Shiki walked cautiously through the city's streets. He had been out for at least half an hour and was beginning to wonder how exactly he was going to find that person. He had thought about using that feeling he had felt before as a guide, but so far he had been getting nothing, and such a feeling would be useless anyway if Shiki himself was going nowhere near the person in mind. He turned the next corner and gasped when he saw Ciel sitting in the middle of the street, clutching her shoulder in pain.

"Sempai!" he yelled as he ran to Ciel. "What happened?"

"A little trouble...nothing that bad," Ciel replied through gritted teeth.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, wondering what kind of opponent could have given Ciel this much trouble.

Ciel tried to stand up but Shiki stopped her. "You shouldn't be moving around! We need to get you to a hospital."

"I'll be fine, Tohno-kun... I'll heal over time."

"Sempai, it's not like back then when Roa was still alive! If you leave your injuries like that, they'll become permanent---you told me that yourself, remember!... Sempai?"

Ciel was holding her head, shaking it as if in disbelief.

"Sempai? What happened?" Shiki asked, holding her good shoulder.

"He almost made my...other self come out...I still don't understand...how..." Ciel murmured, almost inaudibly.

"_He_? Who's _he_? Tell me, Sempai! Tell me!"

Ciel took a deep breath, her eyes shut, before finally answering.

"Remember this morning when you told me about that guy you said you saw walking away from school? He looks just like you...and he sees the lines..."

Shiki recoiled in shock. He could see the lines. That person...that bastard who collapsed the school wall and did this to Ciel... The guy could see the lines too. Shiki had to see him. Find out who he was and why he was here. And maybe give him some serious payback for Shiki's fellow students and Sempai.

Ciel's wellbeing came first, however.

"Sempai, we _need_ to get you some help," Shiki firmly insisted once again.

Ciel sighed heavily, then said, "Get me to a phone and I can contact the Church and have them send someone to extract me. I'll be in safe hands then."

Shiki nodded and helped Ciel up on her good leg, then hoisted her good arm over his shoulder and helped her to a nearby phone booth. He was truly glad he had brought his wallet that night. Ciel made her call, spoke with the person on the other end for about a minute, then hung up.

"They'll be here in a couple of hours. I'll be fine until then," Ciel said.

Shiki nodded and helped Ciel sit down in a comfortable position against the phone booth. He then stood up, adjusted his glasses and patted his pocket to make sure the knife was there. He then turned around and started walking down the street.

"Where are you going?" Ciel asked with narrowed eyes.

"To see him. To find out some things," Shiki replied without turning around.

"Tohno-kun! The Church'll have reinforcements here and they can clean up this matter---you don't have to go!"

"I do, Sempai. He's just like me, isn't he?" Shiki turned around to look at Ciel. "I don't know if I'll accomplish anything, but I have to face him...at least talk to him for a bit."

Shiki thought back to the time when Sensei had found him on that grassy field and saved him from his eyes... Saved him and allowed him to lead a normal life---not a saint, but as a normal human being as best as he could. Somehow, Shiki felt that this other guy had not met such a sensei in his life.

Ciel sighed, and nodded slowly. Shiki turned around and continued walking down the street. Ciel watched Shiki disappear out of view and whispered, "Please be alright, Tohno-kun."

-----------------------------------------------------

Shiki didn't know how, but somehow he had found that person. In the middle of an isolated, lonely street, there he was, the black-clad boy who looked just like Shiki, standing in the light of the bright moon that had just emerged from behind some clouds. The stranger smiled upon Shiki's arrival.

"I suppose this is our first _real_ time meeting each other," the person said. Shiki noted that his voice sounded exactly like Shiki's own. He walked towards the stranger and stopped a few meters from the other.

"Nothing to say?" the stranger asked. Shiki replied nothing. "That's alright," the stranger continued. "The night here is really great. I must've been saying that for the entire night but I just can't say enough just how---"

"Who are you? What do you want, and why'd you destroy that wall at school?" Shiki interrupted, gazing at the other with angry eyes, hands balled into fists.

The other glanced at Shiki, as if musing over the question, then answered, "Like you, I am Shiki. It might interest you to know that there are actually many Shikis...all of them with the same important qualities. As to why I collapsed that school wall, that was mainly to gain your attention."

"Did the concept of just walking up to me and _talking_ ever occur to you?" Shiki interrupted.

"It did, but for the sake of impact and my overall purpose, I decided along this route."

"Overall purpose?..."

"Yes." The other Shiki raised a finger to his eye. "They call it Eyes of Death Perception. Everything in life has its death already predetermined, and these eyes are able to perceive that in the form of lines and dots. It's easy to understand how it might seem that way, but in reality it is far deeper than that." He put his finger back down and gazed up at the moon. "The Source, the Origin, the Root of all things...some call it Akasha. Whatever you call it, it is all synonymous with the beginning and end of all things. When a thing comes into being, whatever it is, whether a living thing, or non-living, or even just a concept, that is its beginning. Where it came from is the Source. And when that thing finally dies, or ceases to be or have meaning, it goes back to where it came from---it returns to the Source. The Source is the beginning and the end of all things.

"Now where do we come in, you might ask. That is easy to answer. Tohno Shiki, have you ever died?"

Shiki immediately remembered the dark, lonely void he had found himself in the middle of, right after the incident with the real Tohno Shiki. He had died, but had been revived when Akiha took his life into herself and sustained it in there.

Shiki nodded at the other Shiki, who nodded in return. "That is what sets the two of us apart, and is the answer," he continued. "You see, when anything 'dies' it returns to the Source. We did the same. We finished our cycle of being and return to the beginning and end of all things. That was how it was supposed to be---but..."

"But that cycle was broken," Shiki added.

"Sort of," the other replied. "An outside force---someone or something---brought us back, pulled us back out of the Source and into being once again. But not completely. We retain some connection to the Source---you can say that the experience of having been one with the Source has left an imprint on us, no matter how brief the experience. Thus, it's not so much 'Eyes of Death Perception' as it is a 'connection' to the Source, or the Origin, or whatever. You can almost say that we're like the 'hand' of Akasha. Almost like celestial judges sent back down to Earth from heaven to exact divine justice on the guilty...but that's really just merely a fun thought to have."

"So that's why we can see the end of things, cause we're connected to it."

"Not just the end...the beginning too. We---or at least I---can sometimes see things before they happen. You must've had at least one kind of experience like that."

"I think so."

"The beginning and end of living and non-living things, but it doesn't end there. Concepts, thoughts, all of these come from the Source. For example, concept of the mathematical zero in this universe. That is a concept. Imagine what would happen if I stabbed its dot. Modern civilization would suddenly grind or crash to a halt. Or this..."

The other Shiki whipped out his knife once again. Shiki started to pull out his own knife, but before he could finished, the other slashed at the air. The other Shiki disappeared into thin air and reappeared just as suddenly in front of Shiki, who jumped backwards away from the other who had suddenly appeared out of thin air.

"That was my 'killing' the distance between you and me," the other Shiki said, putting his knife back into his sleeve holster. "Of course, it's not distance, universally, as that would mean that I would be forever stuck with you until we do something about it, since there'd be no distance between the two of us. That's something to be careful about."

The other gazed up at the moon once more, admiring it. Shiki stared at the other, and asked the question that was foremost in his mind.

"How could you stand it?"

"What?"

"How could you stand seeing those lines? Knowing that whatever you touch, touch the wrong way and it could fall apart? As if the ground underneath you would disappear at any second, or the sky would suddenly fall on you at any moment," Shiki elaborated.

The other Shiki smiled a bit. "I couldn't. At least for a while. I could remember the first thing I cut apart in that fashion. A bedside table I had gotten too curious with. Seeing those lines streaking across yourself, your belongings, the earth, animals, your friends...

"No, I couldn't stand it. All I could do to deal with it was sleep as often as I could to shut it all out, or sit by myself out on this hill beside our house. Of course, she would always come over and keep trying to cheer me up. It helped a bit, but didn't really make a difference."

"She?"

The other Shiki chuckled a bit. "Just some friend."

Shiki felt his glasses with his hand, thinking back to the grassy field. He looked up at the other Shiki and asked, "So what happened."

"Eventually I couldn't take it anymore. Did I snap, you may ask, and go on a rampage and kill my loved ones? Nah. I somehow had enough strength to know better. Instead, I looked harder."

The other Shiki stared at Shiki as if to emphasize his words. "I looked harder at everything around me," he continued. "I kept thinking, 'there's got to be something more than this death perception. Is there anything else?'

"And then I saw it... Threads...connections... I could see things linked to one another, such as how some beings or things have innate connections to some other things, or connections between concepts, and everything linked to something. One something that everything I could look at...they were all connected to it. That's the Source, of course."

The other Shiki looked up into the sky and reached out with a hand, as if to try to grab something infinitely far away. "I wanted to see it," he said. "The Source, I wanted to see it with my own eyes, touch it, feel it, hear it, whatever. I was curious, I wanted to know. The beginning and end of all things, the absolute truth. The answer to all questions asked and unasked, the solution to all problems, the finish to everything. One, all-encompassing truth. I wanted to see it."

He turned to look at Shiki. "Don't you want to see it? The ultimate truth? The answer to all your questions? Like what compelled you to chase after a complete stranger and murder her in her apartment?"

Shiki's eyes widened. "How do you..." he muttered.

"The Source, Shiki," the other replied. "I see _everything_. Eventually over time, colors, light, faces, shapes...the world, essentially, disappeared from my sight. All I see now are lines, dots, threads and connections. I see lines through the ground, the buildings and air around me, through the words people speak, their bodies, their faces... People's thoughts and memories, these are things to, they too came from and will end in the Source. In an essence, I can _see_ your memories, and can see what happened. It's all lines and dots, but over time your connection lets you know what everything is."

The other Shiki now faced Shiki directly. Shiki braced himself for whatever might come.

"Now, as to why I came here in the first place," the other Shiki began, "the reason why I wanted your attention, why I'm telling you all this. I'll be direct: I want your help."

"My help?" Shiki asked, a little bit incredulous.

"Yes. Everything has a connection with the Source to begin with and is, therefore, in an essence, a part of the Source. There's the saying: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I don't want to sum the parts, I want to return it to the one and make it whole. I want to return everything there was, is, and will be to the Source. Once whole, the Source will become...well...whole. I want to see that."

"You mean to kill everything that exists just so you can see that?" Shiki exclaimed, outraged at the thought.

"Yes. It's a _lot_ of sacrifices," the other Shiki replied. "But think of it as creating the closest thing to a real God there ever was. And I---and you, if you accept--- will be in the front seats to watch this magnificent truth come to being. Don't you think it's worth the price? One absolute truth and answer to everything, in its whole, in all its intended glory?"

"No," Shiki answered firmly, glaring at the other. "I have friends, family, all the people around me. One all-knowing truth isn't worth their lives. So my decision is no. It's what I believe is the right thing, and I'm sticking to it. No, I won't help you. In fact..." Shiki pulled out his knife and flipped it open, "...I'm going to stop you, right here, right now."

The doppleganger watched Shiki prepare to kill the former. He sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Those glasses block out the connection, don't they?" he said, opening his eyes and pointing. "In that case, let me help enlighten you a bit, so to speak."

The doppleganger whipped out his own knife and slashed at the air, disappearing. Shiki was only beginning to tense in preparation when the other reappeared in front of him and slashed at his eyes.

With a loud shatter, the lenses disintegrated and the glasses fell off of Shiki's nose and crashed onto the ground. Shiki froze in shock as he stared at the broken glasses.

"Look deeper. See the truth. Then come back to me when you've made up your mind," the other said. He slashed once more at the air and disappeared into nothingness.

Shiki dropped to his knees, reaching down and scooping up a few of the broken pieces. He brought them up to his eyes and looked through them.

No, the glasses, and whatever magic they once had, were dead...killed by that other Shiki. They were gone, and with them, Shiki's salvation from a world where death was all too much in plain view every single day. He grasped the shards tightly, paying no heed to the blood seeping from his palms. Tears welled up in his eyes as he choked back the sobs that were coming.

"I'm sorry, Sensei..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Alpha/Omega**

A Tsukihime fanfiction by Shinova

Tsukihime and Kara no Kyoukai are creations of Kinoko Nasu and Typemoon

All other works belong to their respective owners

Chapter 3: Moonblade

The light of late morning basked Misaki town in its warmth. The streets were once again busy with the sounds of people going here and about carrying out their daily lives. The birds chirped, the insects buzzed, and for all intents and purposes the world was happy and content.

Arcueid Brunestud was not, in contrast. She stood in front of the Tohno premises, staring at the mansion in front of her. Shiki would normally be long awake at this time, but she had not seen him anywhere in town so figured that he must still be in bed. What for, she could not guess.

Making up her mind, she climbed over the gate, approached the front of the building and climbed the mansion wall up towards where Shiki's bedroom was on the second floor. The window was half open so all she had to do was open that all the way then climb right in.

Shiki was sitting on his bed, his head in his hands, which were wrapped in bandages. He looked up to see Arcueid enter his bedroom.

"Shiki! I thought you'd be awake so I looked all over town for you, but nope, couldn't find you. So I came here thinking that maybe you were still asleep, but _nooo_ to that also, you were actually _awake_! So time to get up, Shiki! It's a great day outside, and it'd be a waste to spend it in bed. It's not good for your health you know," Arcueid said in an admonishing tone, wagging her finger for emphasis.

Shiki said nothing. He merely stared at his lap with a blank expression. Arcueid folded her arms across her chest, obviously displeased at his response. She walked closer toward him, looking at his face for any signs of a response. She sighed, and looked around the room instead and her eyes caught sight of Shiki's glasses on the desk...or rather what remained of them.

"...You broke them..." Arcueid remarked, an expression of mild surprise on her face. She walked over to the desk and picked up one of the pieces and looked it over, noticing the small bloodstain at one edge. She looked back at Shiki and noted again the bandages around his hands.

"What happened to them?" she asked.

There was a long pause of nothing from Shiki. Arcueid started to turn away but was stopped by Shiki, who said, "I got careless."

Arcueid blinked. "You got careless?"

"Yep. Those glasses had been with me for so long. I must've started to take them for granted since who knows how long ago. I never remembered that they're precious things too, and precious things can be easily broken. And so I got careless..."

Shiki fell backwards into bed, then rolled away from Arcueid to face the wall. Arcueid stared at the broken pieces for a little longer before walking up to Shiki's bedside. She grabbed the sheets and threw them aside.

"What the---what are you doing?" Shiki shouted angrily.

"Helping you get up. It's not healthy to stay in bed during such a fine day like this," Arcueid replied, folding her arms in annoyance.

"I don't wanna get up!"

"Well, you should!"

"So what?"

There was a tense and uneasy silence between the two. Arcueid turned away, gazing at the far wall. "It's the lines, isn't it?" she said. Shiki gave no reply, but Arcueid knew she was right. "Maybe I don't know everything about lots of things but I'm pretty sure I know enough. Sleeping and running away from those lines isn't the answer. I think you know that too."

There was no reply. Arcueid walked back over to Shiki and leaned over to place her hands on his shoulder comfortingly. "So why don't we go outside for a bit? Enjoy the air, eat lunch, go sightseeing again, like we did yesterday, what do you think?"

Shiki turned over to glance at Arcueid's smiling face. For a long moment they simply stared at each other, before a smile appeared on Shiki's face and he sat back up. "Always that easygoing you again," he remarked. He swung his legs over the side and stood up, stretching his arms. "I guess you're right. It'd be a real shame if I stayed in the whole day, with school being cancelled for a while. Alright, let's go then!" he decided with a note of confidence.

"There we go," Arcueid said happily. "The weather's great outside. I'm sure it'll cheer you up real quick."

"Yeah, it sure does look real nice outside. Even better than yesterday, maybe."

"See! I told you it'd be a good idea to go out!"

"Okay, okay, sheesh, I'll get ready."

Arcueid laughed as she went outside to wait for Shiki to get ready.

As Shiki got out of his pajamas and into his day clothes he thought about how easy it had been for him to get out of bed and actually go out and face the world, when Arcueid had been encouraging him to do so. At that moment he felt really glad he knew her.

-----------------------------------------------------

The lines were everywhere. People he walked by, the signposts, the street, everything. He was almost compelled to constantly watch where he was stepping, afraid to accidentally run the edge of his foot across a line and destroy the pavement. He had to be careful with Arcueid too; there were lines running across her as well.

It was horrible...like stepping across a world where Death hid behind every crack and shadow, silently mocking him. Arcueid was with him, however. Her constant smile and joyful mood gave his own spirits a very-needed lifting. She talked about things she talked about everyday, as if Shiki had never lost his glasses in the first place. The sense of normalness she projected helped make Shiki feel as if none of the horrible things last night had ever happened as well.   
He concentrated on the color and texture of the pavement, not the red lines cris-crossing them. He focused on the faces of people he passed by, not the lines running across them. And more and more, he felt that he could somehow manage and live normally, even if the world seemed ready to fall apart at any moment. He imagined that Arihiko might suggest that they were reminders that he had better start appreciating the world more and do it some service and gain back some good karma...like by being Arihiko's personal cab service, for instance. Shiki chuckled at the thought.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Arcueid asked as the two walked along.

"No, I was just thinking of something funny Arihiko might say if he knew about all the trouble I go through often," Shiki replied. He looked around himself at the line-infested downtown and said, "You know, it might not be so bad."

"Really?

"Yeah. If I focus more on the things themselves---like what's important: faces of people and such... If I do that, I think I might just get along fine. Might not be that bad after all." Then as an aside, "Of course having you around helps a lot."

Arcueid brightened. "Really?"

"Yep. Having a never-exhausting smile walking besides me helps," Shiki said, laughing.

"Hmph!" Arcueid's smile disappeared. "You make me sound like some kind of machine." She turned away, pouting.

"Nooo! The smile, it's gone!" Shiki wailed with fake distress. "Come back!"

"Nope."

"Ah, err, ehem...what can this lowly servant do to appease you, Arcueid-sama?"

"Hmmm..." Arcueid thought about what she could have Shiki do to make up. As she mused over possible options, Shiki started to fear the toll this day might have on his wallet.

Arcueid spotted the movie theatre and pointed at it. "Take me to the movies," she declared.

_Oh crap_, Shiki thought, smiling weakly.

-----------------------------------------------------

One pair of movie tickets plus snacks and drinks later, the pair left the theatre, Arcueid stretching her arms and going on about how fun that movie was while Shiki was gazing down at the rapidly approaching bottom of his wallet.

"Ah, that was fun! Let's go here again sometime," Arcueid said.

"Sure...sometime..." Shiki replied, still inwardly relenting the movie expenses. And who would've figured that Arcueid was a fan of Hong Kong-style action movies? He could just imagine Arcueid in one of those movies, wearing a spotless white suit, blasting enemies away with guns and Shinso-fu.

Afterwards the pair toured the city some more, visiting shops they've never been to and some they have. The two then stopped at the game center.

Arcueid stared at the entrance for a moment, then turned to Shiki while pointing at the game center. "Let's go in here," she said.

"And me get beaten to a pulp again? I dunno," Shiki relented.

"Who knows? You might've gotten better."

"Ah well...alright."

The two went inside. Arcueid waited near one of the machines while Shiki went to get some tokens. He stepped up to the change machine at the same time as someone else. "Oh I'm sorry, if you were here fir..."

"My, what a pleasant surprise, Shiki."

Shiki's expression instantly darkened as he glared at his doppelganger, who simply stared back with an amused expression.

"So...why are _you_ here?" Shiki asked.

"Just enjoying myself like how you appear to be in the process of doing," the other answered innocently.

"Right..."

"You can check a couple of those machines over there. I set a couple of new high scores. Maybe you can try to beat them."

"Maybe I will."

"Excuse me, but can we use that?" a pair of small kids spoke up from beside them. The two Shikis stepped out of the way and allowed the children to use the machine.

"So...how is life, now that your connection to the Source is unimpeded by those glasses of yours?" doppelganger asked with a smirk.

"Heh...it's not bad at all," Shiki replied.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. The lines and the dots---they're there...all over the place. But I'm learning to ignore those and focus on what's important. Actually look at people's faces instead of the lines on them, for instance."

"Oh really? Just that? Nothing at all?"

"You know what I think?" Shiki said, gazing at the other with a look of confidence. "Now that I've given it some thought, you said before that you had somehow found the strength to not snap and look beyond the lines and dots... But you're wrong."

The doppelganger raised an eyebrow in response.

"You weren't strong...you were weak," Shiki continued. "You couldn't deal with the lines, so instead of learning to cope while still holding onto the important things, you just gave up... Gave up on those important things that really mattered, and just surrendered yourself to the lines like a coward. When you look at a face, you can't really see it, can you? A real face, not just a crude mess of lines. People's faces...their smiles... You're really missing out. And now here you try to somehow excuse the truth by convincing yourself that you were somehow strong in giving yourself up. Pathetic. Really."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Yep. Those lines and dots may show you the beginning, end, and connections of everything...but that's all you see. You don't see the things themselves. You can't see what really matters."

The two gazed at each other in silence, one defiantly confident, the other seemingly amused.

"Let's get away from these weirdoes."

"Yeah, they're like those otaku freaks who pretend to be some anime character in public. Let's go."

The two kids that had been watching them quickly left to play at the machines. The Shikis ignored them and continued to play their staring game. The doppelganger finally said, "Oh well, whatever floats your boat. Just remember that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Give my offer some more thought and come back to me. I have all the time in the world." He then turned around and walked out of the game center.

Shiki smirked as the other left. He was hardly seriously concerned about the misguided bastard anymore. He grabbed some tokens and walked back over to where he had left Arcueid.

"Sorry, Arcueid, I was talking with someone and...where are you?"

Arcueid was nowhere to be found.

-----------------------------------------------------

The doppelganger headed towards a relatively quiet alleyway, seeking some peace and quiet away from the noisy downtown area. He pondered over what the other had said with a sense of amusement. If Shiki wanted to believe that he was stronger by refusing to accept the connection, that was fine with the doppelganger. Sooner or later, he would have to face the reality that was his connection to the Source and accept it as truth.

Even if Shiki refused to help him eventually, the doppelganger could still accomplish his goal---albeit taking more time to do so, but it was still achievable.

The doppelganger walked on down the alleyway, enjoying the quiet atmosphere, when he suddenly sensed, or rather saw, someone approach the alley intersection just up ahead. Arcueid stepped out from around the corner and stood in his path, facing him.

The doppelganger's mouth hung open in a mixture of surprise and delight. He then smiled widely. "Ah...I haven't seen that face in a long time," he remarked, watching Arcueid glare at him. "Arcueid Brunestud... So, what brings you here today?"

"You're the one who's been giving Shiki trouble lately. You must also have been the one who broke his glasses," Arcueid stated, rather than asked.

"Correct, although I personally wouldn't call it giving him trouble---rather just trying to enlighten him to the truth. As for his glasses, he doesn't need them."

"That's up to him to decide."

"What if he didn't know better? But whatever. I'm here to request his help on a little something I've been trying to do. I'm taking it that he hasn't decided yet."

Arcueid narrowed her eyes. "I can sense that you don't actually belong here. Whatever you're here for can't be for Shiki's or the world's good. What are you trying to do?"

"It's not something one who is not a Shiki needs to know...or can understand, even," the doppelganger replied mockingly.

"Why don't you let me decide that?"

The doppelganger smirked. "No."

"Well, whatever it is, he obviously doesn't like it. Since that's the case, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you...'disappeared.'"

Arcueid suddenly rushed the other with a clawed hand. The doppelganger flipped open his knife just in time to block the attack. The two pushed against each other, but Arcueid was slowly but gradually gaining the upper leverage through her superior strength, her hand inching toward the other's throat. Arcueid then lashed out with the other hand as well. The doppelganger disengaged and dove backwards to avoid the slash. The two stood, facing each other. The stranger flipped his knife a few times, always keeping that same amused expression on his face.

"You can't beat me," the doppelganger said calmly. "Your Shiki was able to kill you effortlessly before you could react. What makes you think you can defeat me?"

Arcueid narrowed her eyes at the other. Then her eyes flashed gold. The doppelganger could see the vacuum pockets coming and slashed out at the air in front of him, killing the Marble Phantasm attack before it could manifest.

"I can see _everything_," the doppelganger spoke once more. "It's hopeless for you. Give up."

Arcueid narrowed her eyes, then launched a fury of attacks against her opponent, slashing, kicking, and dashing here and there, interrupted by the occasional Marble Phantasm attempt, which the doppelganger kept killing before they manifested. The two zipped back and forth across the ground and the walls, Arcueid's attacks tearing giant gashes out of the pavement while the doppelganger stayed on the defensive.

Arcueid stopped for a moment and gazed up at the buildings around her. She swiped her hand upwards. Giant chunks of concrete ripped themselves off of the buildings and rained down towards the doppelganger, who looked up at the incoming debris with a bored expression. He reached out with his knife towards the incoming rocks and made a few short swipes. The concrete pieces shattered into smaller, harmless ones. "I don't need to be up close, you know," he said, blocking Arcueid's hand as she lashed out at him. The two traded a few more hits before disengaging.

"This is getting boring. Even Ciel was more interesting than this," the doppelganger commented out loud as he jumped away from Arcueid to give himself some room. "You're supposed to be the princess of the Shinsos...the ultimate one. Even with consideration of what Shiki's done to you, is this it?"

Arcueid frowned. She materialized a hail of air blades surrounding the doppelganger and accelerated them towards the him. The doppelganger's knife flew once as he killed the Marble Phantasm behind all the air blades.

"Short, mid, or long range, nothing of yours can hurt me. Shiki is the only one who can possibly match me. Give up, and I'll just forget about you," the doppelganger said.

"No," Arcueid replied, crouching down to attack again.

The doppelganger sighed. "Alright then," he said, finally going on the offensive. He made a single slash at the air. Arcueid stumbled briefly as her connection to nature was weakened. The doppelganger then slashed at the air and disappeared, reappearing behind Arcueid, who tried to turn around in time but failed as her opponent made a single stab into Arcueid's body.

Arcueid's eyes widened and she fell to the ground as her connection to nature was permanently severed. She could feel her power dwindling at an incredible rate.

The doppelganger stepped around Arcueid to stand in front of her. "If it exists, I can kill it. Whether it'd be actually there in physical space, or something you can only think about. That is the power that we posses: your Shiki, myself, and an unknown number of others. I've just cut you off from your source of power. That is the weakness of the Shinsos. A dependence on an outside source of power. Rather pitiful, if you think about it."

Arcueid's eyes suddenly glowed. Her opponent's eyes widened as he felt his upper body become separated from his legs. His halves crashed into the ground, blood leaking like a flood out onto the pavement.

"Getting careless, are we?" Arcueid taunted, lifting her head off of the ground to watch the doppelganger's blood pool further over the concrete.

"Heh," the doppelganger spoke up from where he lay on the ground. "If you were Shiki, I'd be in trouble since the very meaning behind my body staying together would be destroyed. But since you are a mere Shinso, not a Shiki, you cannot do so, which means I can do this."

The doppelganger raised his knife and made a slash across where his abdomen would be. And suddenly, in a blink of an eye, his body was whole once again. The blood was gone, the doppelganger could move his legs freely---it was as if they had never been separated in the first place.

Arcueid lay in shock. The doppelganger noticed her surprise and said, "Think about it. I simply killed and refuted the existence of your action of having cut me in half, hence by definition it never happened in the first place. This is something only those with eyes like ours can accomplish."

The doppelganger then kneeled beside Arcueid's prone body. "And now," he said, raising his knife, "I return you to the Source..." He stabbed down at her dot. Arcueid's eyes widened for a split second before her body and essence faded away into nothingness.

The doppelganger stood up and brushed the dust of his clothes, gazing down at the pile of clothes that was all that remained of Arcueid.

"Good night, Arcueid Brunestud."

The doppelganger then walked away.

-----------------------------------------------------

Shiki ran through the streets, desperately searching for Arcueid. The other gamers at the center had mentioned they had seen her walk out of the center. Shiki could think of no reason for her doing so other than to follow his doppelganger. He glanced left and right, scanning the crowds for her familiar face. Suddenly a piercing pain erupted inside his head. He grimaced, stumbling a bit, grasping his head. He looked around and saw something...a pattern of lines...a dot disappearing. For some reason, he felt that was where he had to go.

He dashed into an alleyway, glancing left and right at each intersection he passed through. He had gone about four intersections in when he turned his gaze to his right and spotted a familiar set of white and purple clothing on the ground.

"Arcueid!" he called out, running down that alley toward the clothes. He could see craters and what looked like giant claw marks all across the ground and nearby walls.

Shiki finally reached the pile of clothing and stopped. A moment later he collapsed onto his knees, his trembling hands reaching out and grasping the empty clothes.

"Ar-Arcueid...no..." he managed to choke out, tears running down his face. He hugged the jumper to his face, his tears wetting the fabric, his body rocking softly. A few barely held back sobs escaped his throat, muffled by the fabric.

Minutes passed as he grieved her passing. He then slowly laid the clothes back on the ground and ceremoniously stabbed their dots with his knife. The fabric disintegrated into dust and drifted away into the air.

Once that was finished, he got up to his feet, wiping the tears off his face with one sleeve of his jacket. He looked up, a dark expression over his face. He concentrated his eyes, willing them to see farther---to see deeper. In the midst of a chaotic cloud of lines and dots which made up all the things in the area, he could see one dot which had a giant line running off to somewhere...a somewhere Shiki could not see but could guess was the Source. That dot was his doppelganger.

Shiki broke out into a furious sprint, heading straight for that dot. When Shiki found the doppelganger, there was going to be a lot of explaining...and payback to be done. This had to be settled, one way or another, and Shiki was going to settle it in the most final way he could think of.

He didn't have to run far until he spotted the familiar black-clad figure standing in a dead-end alley, his back to Shiki.

"Hello again," the doppelganger spoke as Shiki slowed down and stopped a few meters behind the former, who then turned around to face the other. "About Arcueid..."

"You killed her," Shiki said in a low voice exuding fury.

"She attacked me first. I reacted in self-defense."

"_But you didn't have to kill her, you bastard moron_!" Shiki shouted, his voice echoing off of the walls of the alley, which was in fact the same one where he had first talked with Arcueid.

Shiki took a deep breath. "You must truly see the world and all the people and living things inside it as nothing more than sets of lines and dots. So wrong..."

"Right and wrong are entirely subjective. Absolute truth is not," the doppelganger replied, turning around to face the alley again.

"Is that what you think? You're hardly human. You're a monster," Shiki accused.

A long silence passed between the two. Shiki was busy trying to think up of plans on how to take down the doppelganger when the latter suddenly spoke up.

"Is she nice?" he asked.

"Who?" Shiki asked, taken somewhat by surprise.

"Arcueid. Is she nice?"

Shiki pondered the question for a few seconds before answering. "Arcueid wouldn't hurt a fly, unless there was a really good reason."

"I see." The doppelganger spoke nothing else.

Shiki was about to say something more when the doppelganger interrupted him.

"Arima Shiki."

"What?"

"Arima Shiki. That's my name. Quiet and interesting coincidence, don't you think?"

Shiki inwardly nodded. Now he had a name to associate the doppelganger with.

"Do you want to know where I came from?" the doppelganger, Arima, asked, turning around to look at Shiki, who made no response. Arima simply turned back around and continued anyway.

"I'm from a parallel universe. One of many, or an infinite number---I don't know yet. I came here by killing the barrier between universes for a brief moment. You may have felt that."

Shiki remembered the strange dream he had experienced in the first night.

"It's truly interesting...to have lived in my world---my Earth, that is. Imagine a world where Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Shinsos live together in almost perfect harmony, each respecting the other and recognizing them as fellows...comrades... Family...

"We Humans are known for being versatile and adept with different environments and situations, and with whatever's at hand or given to us. The Dwarves are the master builders and forgemasters. A few here and there from these two races can use magic, but the Elves are magic masters. Every single one of those pointy-eared people can use magic to a great degree.

"And then you have the Shinsos. Almost walking deities...masters over all of nature. There is almost no animal on the face of the planet that wouldn't piss itself in the presence of a Shinso, even a young one. You would think everyone would be quivering in their shoes every time a Shinso walked by, but no. They're like big brothers to us, almost.

"And most of all, they're nice. Really nice, generous, and kind... Almost too nice. I suppose being incredibly powerful grants them the luxury of being too nice. Sometimes I wish I had that luxury too."

Shiki was rapt with attention now. He figured he could put off taking Arima down until he had heard all about this very interesting world the other came from.

"You know what's really funny?" Arima asked.

"What?"

Arima chuckled a bit before going on. "We have schools, like you do. Most kids have to attend some kind of school, one way or another. Shinsos don't have to though, since they just suck the knowledge right out of their environment and suddenly know it all. But a few do occasionally go to school just for the hell of it---you know, the social and cultural experience and all. But really, you should see results...dead hilarious, especially when Arcueid attended ours."

"Arcueid?" Shiki's eyes widened.

"There are two Shikis here: you and me. Would it not be too far of a stretch of imagination for there to be two Arcueids as well? Anyway, you get kids who keep trying to tackle her and beat her in a wrestling match during the break hours. Of course, she almost just tosses them aside. They never gave up though." Arima had a genuine smile on his face, as he recalled memories from his past. "She was a big friend of mines. We always went everywhere together. She'd keep making stuff like tasty snacks and toys for me with her Marble Phantasm ability. I guess it's their way of showing they care.

"It seemed like paradise. Until my mom tried to stab me to death and put me in a coma for several months."

Shiki's mouth opened slightly in shock. He couldn't quite imagine how it'd be like for a child if their mother suddenly came at them with a knife.

"So after the coma," Arima continued, "I could see the lines, things got tough, then I picked myself back up, and several centuries later, here I am---pissing you off, I suppose."

Shiki chuckled a bit. He said, "I suppose you still haven't given up on finding that absolute truth thing."

"Nope. That's always been on my mind," Arima answered. "It's just that it's really great to feel nostalgic at times. Gives one a sort of...peace of mind."

_Perhaps there is some human left inside him_, Shiki thought.

Arima turned around to face Shiki, whose body tensed in response.

"I will now leave, and take this universe with me. As for you, if you do manage to save yourself, then find me. Then perhaps we can talk again," the black-clad doppelganger spoke, raising his knife into the air.

"Wait, what do you mean 'taking the universe with you?'" Shiki shouted.

Arima simply smiled, then drove the knife down into himself---no, he was stabbing something else. Arima's form started to flicker, as if fading in and out of existence. He then made a second cut across the air.

Shiki stumbled as the entire fabric of everything seemed to buckle and waver. He started to realize what was going on: Arima had stabbed the death dot of this universe, and it was in the process of returning to the Source. He could feel his own thoughts and essence pulling apart at the seams. He panicked, frantically trying to come up with a way to survive, then remembered the first stab Arima had made on himself, and realized what it was the doppelganger had been stabbing at.

Shiki searched his own body and concentrated his eyes harder than he had ever done before. He began to feel a searing pain in his eyes and head as the pain escalated rapidly and filled his perception. He searched and looked deeper until he at least found what he was looking for.

Just as the entire alley started to get sucked away, Shiki stabbed down at his target with all his might. The world seemed to explode with light as his knife hit its target, and he lost consciousness immediately afterwards.


	4. Chapter 4

**Alpha/Omega**

A Tsukihime fanfiction by Shinova

Tsukihime and Kara no Kyoukai are creations of Kinoko Nasu and Typemoon

All other works belong to their respective owners

Chapter 4: The Castle at the End of the World

Shiki was floating. At least it seemed that way, with this seemingly milky haze shrouding his conscious mind. Then suddenly he was moving. Down a white tunnel---soundlessly, ever so smoothly.

"Shiki!" a young girl's voice called out.

What? Was someone calling for him? Who was that? Hello?

Shiki's thoughts went unanswered. There was, however, a sudden 'whoosh' and Shiki found himself looking over a vast grassy field. He mentally gasped at the sheer serene beauty of the landscape. The grassland stretched on, far into the distance beyond what the eye could see; the uniform expanse pierced only by the presence of a small city, far, far up ahead in the valley below. He looked back at the grassy field and noticed a small boy sitting on the grass. Shiki found himself somehow floating closer---close enough to make out the boy's face. It surprised him to find that boy was him when he had been younger---about seven or eight years old by a rough estimate.

"Shiki!" that girl's voice called out again, more real and tangible now.

Wait, the voice was calling out 'Shiki.' Could the boy be...

"Hey, Arcueid!" the boy called back. Shiki gazed out in the direction the boy was looking and spotted a young, blonde girl in a white spring dress making her way towards the boy, running across the grassy field with lithe steps.

Arima Shiki? Could this be Arima's world, and glimpses of his life? Why was he seeing this?

The young girl, Arcueid it seemed, finally reached boy. Shiki took a good look at her features. The hair was shoulder-length, but the eyes and the face were all more or less the same---truly a younger version of Arcueid. Shiki also noted that this child Arcueid was immensely cute.

"Shiki, how are you?" Arcueid asked cheerfully.

The young Arima stretched out onto the grass. "Ah, this is life, Arcueid. It feels so great..." Arima's stomach suddenly grumbled, inciting a giggle out of the young Arcueid and a mental chuckle from Shiki. "...but I forgot to bring lunch," Arima finished, sitting up and sighing.

Arcueid smiled warmly and sat down next to Arima.

"Here," Arcueid said, putting her hands together in front of her, her face locked in concentration. A few seconds later, "Tada!" She opened her palms and there was a piece of chocolate in her hands

"Wow! Thanks a lot, Arcueid, you're a real lifesaver!" Arima enthused, gratefully taking the chocolate from Arcueid and taking a big bite out of it. "Mmmm! It's great!"

"It is? Thank you," Arcueid said, looking a little bashful.

"No, thank _you_! These chocolates are awesome!" Arima took ever increasing bites out of the chocolate, savoring the rich taste.

So this was what Arima had been talking about, Shiki thought. Watching the two enjoy the day reminded him of his own childhood, when he used to play with Akiha and Hisui with reckless abandon, as if every day were their last. They had put their whole hearts into having fun, and the pair in front of Shiki now looked no different. To be honest, Arima's past looked like the ideal childhood, Shiki thought with a mental smile.

"Your school's going to be starting again in a month, right?" Arcueid asked, twiddling her fingers together.

"Yep. Why do you ask?" Arima said.

"Actually, I'll be going to your school too, this year."

Arima's mouth dropped open, the chocolate in his hand almost falling off before Arcueid caught it first.

"That's so cool! That's so great!" Arima seemingly exploded. "I't be _great_ to have you at school!"

"Really? You think I'll fit in?" Arcueid asked nervously.

"If anyone tries to bully you, don't worry, I'll protect you!" Arima declared, standing up and raising a fist into the air.

Arcueid giggled at the sight. "Thank you," she replied, standing up. "Hey, Shiki."

"Hmm?"

"We'll be friends forever, right?"

"Right!"

"And we'll always be together, right?"

"Right!" Arima declared confidently.

"Promise?" Arcueid said, extending her pinky finger.

Arima spared no iota of hesitation in locking his pinky finger around hers. "It's a promise!" he said with a confident smile.

Arcueid nodded, then broke off running. "Miss Henry's making muffins---winner gets first!"

"Wha? But you always win!" Arima yelled as he ran after Arcueid. The two disappeared over the horizon, their laughter and joy echoing through the air behind them.

Shiki floated where he was, his gaze fixed on the spot he had last seen the children as they ran off into the distance and out of view. Why was he seeing this? Was there some meaning to all of this? Just what was going on?

There was another sudden pull, and Shiki was once again inside that white tunnel, speeding soundlessly off to somewhere. While in transit, Shiki tried going over all the things he remembered last. He could recall watching Arima strike the universe's death dot, slowly sending it back into the Source. Shiki had, to prevent himself from being disassembled along with the universe, pierced the dot that represented his connection to that universe, the result of which made him independent of it and consequently saved his life. Was this how Arima intended to return everything to the Source, one entire universe at a time?

There was a sudden jerk and Shiki found himself floating again, this time in a more familiar place: the porch of the detached house of the Tohno manor. The place was alive with activity. Kohaku was cutting and serving watermelon while Akiha enjoyed a cup of tea, while at the same time fending off the teasing of Arihiko. Hisui was chatting with Kohaku, and Ciel and Arcueid were fighting over a piece of watermelon, each taunting the other with some sort of negative quality the other possessed. Even Satsuki was there, trying to perform damage control in regards to Arihiko. And in the meanwhile, Ren sat nearby in her cat form, enjoying a warm ray of sunlight.

The scene filled Shiki with warmth, contentment, happiness. There was no malice, no sadness, no fear, or anything like that. It was simply exactly what it looked like: a group of friends (or semi-friends) enjoying watermelon on a beautiful summer day. It was a perfection that seemed to last forever. It made him feel whole.

...wait, _whole_?

The group suddenly turned toward Shiki and looked straight at him. They waved, emmitting a chorus of 'Tohno-kuns', 'Shiki-samas', a 'Shiki', a 'Nii-san', and a '...'

Shiki started to wave back, but the world was bathed in white once more. Those visions of perfection, complete contentment, and wholeness were gone, but Shiki finally knew. He finally knew the truth and the answer. No words or concepts could describe it. It was a perfection that surpassed description and label. What he had felt...his being...everything... Those scenes were the answer to it all. The absolute truth.

Shiki now knew what he had to do. He had to find Arima. Find him and stop him, and show him the truth before he wiped it all away.

The whiteness grew in intensity and a high-pitched scream of some sort filled his ears. There was a bright flash, and Shiki lost consciousness once more.

-----------------------------------------------------

Shiki finally woke up, after who knew how long. He found himself looking up at a dark-blue sky, which somehow seemed bright, not dark at all. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, noting in the progress of doing so that he was no longer a free-floating observer, and was in normal possession of his body once more. He looked around to find himself in the middle of a seemingly endless field of white flowers---flowers so white they almost seemed to glow.

He heard something soft behind him and turned around to see what it was. Behind him stood a young girl with long blonde hair and pale skin, wearing a white, almost regal, dress with a black ribbon on the front and white stockings and shoes. She looked no older than ten or so. The two stared at each other for a long time, neither saying or doing anything.

"Hello," the girl suddenly said.

Her voice snapped Shiki into action. "Ah, eh... Hi," he managed to get out as he got up to his feet. "I'm ah...Shiki. Tohno Shiki," he introduced himself.

"I'm Arcueid Brunestud. Hello," the girl replied.

_Arcueid?_ Shiki wondered. Could this be the Arcueid of his universe, when she were young? Or at least a vision of her? "Well, hi. So, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I don't know," Arcueid answered cryptically. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Me?" Shiki thought about what to say, then answered, "I'm looking for someone."

"Why do you want to look for that someone?"

"I have to stop him. Show him the truth before any more of it disappears."

"Why?"

"_Why_?"

"Yes. Is it necessary?"

"Necessary? Well, I can't really say if it's necessary. But I do know that it's the right thing to do. At least I think so."

"The right thing to do?"

"Yeah. When it all comes down to it, that's all we can do. We just live our lives, trying to do what we believe is right, and do them the best we can."

Arcueid seemed to gaze quizzicly at him, as if considering his words. "But how do we know what's right and what's not, unlike necessity which we can calculate?"

"That's true. To be honest, sometimes you don't know. Everything seems false and nothing seems right sometimes. I guess it sounds kinda weird but, 'follow your heart' seems the best thing to do."

"Would it be necessary?"

"No matter how hard you try, you just can't calculate or predict people. Everyone's different, everyone's special in their own way, and they all affect the world in their own unique ways.

"I guess what I"m trying to say is: the world's a complicated and incalculable place, but at least you can trust yourself and your friends."

"Friends? Are friends necessary? Are they a 'the right thing to do' sort of thing?"

Shiki smiled. "Friends are wonderful people to have. They're there when you're lonely or need help, and they'll be there to save you when you've hit real rock bottom and just need to find some faith in the world again." His thoughts drifted to the visions he had seen earlier, the recollection bringing a smile to his face.

"Friends are good?" the young Arcueid said, looking up at him.

"Yep," Shiki replied.

"Can you be my friend?"

"I'm not perfect, but I'll do the best I can," Shiki said with a smile.

Arcueid reached up with a hand and grasped Shiki's. Shiki grasped her's in return.

"So, uh..." Shiki gazed out at the field of white flowers. "What should we do?"

"How about we go find the person you're looking for?" Arcueid suggested.

Shiki thought about it for a moment, then said, "If that's alright with you."

Arcueid nodded.

"Okay then, let's go!... But where to start, _hmmm_..." Shiki scanned the area around them, looking for any kind of landmark.

"How about that over there?" Arcueid said, pointing to a rather ominous black mountain that rose out of the horizon like a tower.

Shiki looked around once more. The mountain was the only landmark he could see in this endless field of white flowers. "Well, what are friends for? Alright, let's go."

Thus, the two began their trek across the field of white flowers toward the black mountain in the distance. As they walked, Shiki began to randomly talk about himself. His home, his family, his school life and some of Arihiko's craziest antics, the town he lived in and the best places to have fun, the beautiful sunset, his favorite foods, his worst foods, his hobbies, what he liked to read and watch, and many more. Basically, whatever came to his mind, he talked about it.

Arcueid suddenly spoke up. "You are telling me about yourself: your life, the place you live in. Correct?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm doing," Shiki replied.

"Do friends do that a lot?"

"Oh yeah, they do that all the time."

"Why?"

"...As in?..."

"Is it necessary? Do you tell each other these kinds of things for future benefit?"

"Oh that, well...some things are, of course, like your name, what school you go to, where you live. Stuff like that's so that you can contact each other more easily and frequently---to keep in touch more. But stuff like what you like, your favorite food, your hobbies... That's just to...you know, get to know each other more."

"Know each other?"

"Yeah. Because we're friends. This is another one of those things I can't really explain well. We just want to know more about each other...cause we're friends. Well, how 'bout you?"

"Me?" Arcueid pointed at herself.

"Yeah. Could you tell me a bit about yourself?"

The girl spent a long moment in thought, as if deciding how to formulate her answer. She then said, "I'm a princess of the Shinso. They said my body was made as pure as possible, and that I shouldn't taint it with unnecessary things. I said that I don't understand many things and Zelretch told me understanding's like tripping over a rock and that it comes to you at those points." She then looked up at Shiki. "Is understanding like tripping over a rock?"

Shiki rubbed his chin with his free hand, thinking the question over. "I suppose you can think of it that way. Other times I think understanding is more like you turning a rock over with your hand to see whats underneath it, but yeah some understanding comes from something like tripping over a rock, I suppose."

"But what if you never trip over a rock? What if you walk over or around all of them and never trip, or just walk and walk and never see a single rock?"

"Well, I think there's just as much chance of you tripping over rocks all the time as there is of you never finding a rock. Don't you think so?"

Arcueid pursed her lips in thought. She then looked around at the ground in front of them. "Are there any rocks here?" she wondered out loud.

"I think we'll start finding lots when we get to that mountain, but maybe there'll be some here along the wa-_aaaaggh_!"

Shiki tripped over something and fell to the ground. He pushed himself back up, wondering what it was he had apparently tripped over. He and Arcueid looked at where his foot had been and saw a rock.

"A rock," Arcueid stated, pointing at it.

"Yep, it's a rock, alright," Shiki said.

-----------------------------------------------------

The two walked on towards the mountain. It felt to Shiki as if time had frozen or had no meaning here, and that he and Arcueid had been walking across a painting rather than a field of flowers.

Arcueid suddenly spotted something up ahead and quickened her pace towards it.

"What? Did you find something?" Shiki called out. He watched as Arcueid walked briskly towards whatever it was that she saw, then suddenly trip and fall forward to the ground.

"Arcueid! Arcueid, you alright?" Shiki dashed over to where Arcueid was. He saw the girl stand up and brush off her dress then look behind herself. Shiki followed her gaze and saw a rock.

Arcueid looked up at him. "I don't feel any smarter."

Shiki shrugged. "I think the whole point was to trip over one accidentally, or maybe you need a bigger rock. Nice try though," he said.

Arcueid tilted her head to one side, pondering the thought. Shiki glanced towards the mountain. "At least we're closer to our destination," he said, pointing out that the mountain was now bigger in their view than before.

"Then should we continue?" Arcueid asked.

"I think we should take a break first. Rest our legs a bit," Shiki suggested, sitting down on the soft field of flowers, stretching out his legs and massaging them. Arcueid sat down beside him, gazing around at the field of flowers. Shiki felt the flower bed underneath him with his hands, then lay back on the field with a soft plop. The flowers made a really nice bed, he noticed.

Arcueid followed his example and lay down next to him, gazing up at the dark-blue sky.

"You know, I've been wondering," Shiki spoke up as he gazed up at the sky. "Why's the sky so dark when it's so bright down here."

"I don't know," Arcueid said.

"Me neither. I'm pretty sure there's a reason why, but I don't know, maybe it could just be all a mystery."

The wind picked up speed, blowing chilly air across the pair, causing Shiki to shiver slightly. He turned to Arcueid.

"Hey, are you cold?" he asked.

"I am fine," Arcueid replied.

"Well, here we go..." Shiki took off his jacket and spread it across over himself like a blanket while leaving some space for Arcueid. "Here, get closer."

"But it's not necessary for me to---"

"Don't worry about it. Here, come'on," Shiki insisted. "It'd be a shame on me if I left you out in the cold while keeping myself cozy."

Arcueid scooted closer until she was under the makeshift blanket as well.

"There. How is it?" Shiki asked.

"...Thank you," Arcueid replied.

"You're welcome---any time." And the two ended up sleeping instead of just resting, under the dark-blue sky, in the field of flowers.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Face the truth, Shiki. It's out there, looking right at you!" Arima mocked Shiki with cold, white eyes.

"Wha---what's going on?" Shiki stammered as he stumbled aimlessly through a dark, endless void.

"Shiki!"

Shiki turned to the voice and saw Arcueid---the older one---run toward him, waving at him. He smiled and raised an arm to wave when his finger accidentally grazed her cheek. Red lines appeared all over Arcueid's body as she transformed into her younger self then started falling apart. Shiki screamed in terror as the young girl's body collapsed into a bloody heap at his feet. The head looked up at him and spoke with an accusing voice.

"I hate you! You're not my friend anymore!"

"_Waaaaahhh_!" Shiki screamed as he woke up, darting upright, pulling the makeshift blanket up with him. He struggled to catch his breath, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He looked to his side to see the young Arcueid sleeping peacefully as if without a care for the world. Shiki immediately calmed down and smiled. Somehow, even in this strange dimension located who knows where, Arcueid's heart-warming presence could be felt, here in the sleeping face of this child.

Said child suddenly stirred, the eyes opening slowly. Arcueid sat up, rubbing her eyes. She blinked and looked at Shiki.

"Were you dreaming?" she asked.

Shiki looked at her in surprise. "Yes, I was. How'd you know?"

"Sometimes we know. Dreams are like echoes of thought, like sound making ripples through watter. And we can hear them...sometimes."

Shiki nodded his head in interest, taking mental note of that fact.

"So, what did you dream about?" Arcueid asked.

"It was actually a nightmare," Shiki replied.

"I see. That must be why I felt cold."

-----------------------------------------------------

The pair were on their way to the black mountain once again, this time talking about Shiki's school classes, of all the things to talk about.

"What's home economics?" Arcueid asked as the pair walked.

"It's basically learning how to housekeep. Not that fascinating," Shiki replied.

"What about English?"

"English? It's alright. It's kinda hard if you don't keep up. I suppose it comes in handy when you start doing work that's international, like business or diplomaacy."

Arcueid thought for a while. "Why gym class?"

"What about gym class?"

"Why do they have gym class?"

"To basically keep us physically fit, I suppose."

"Are students incapable of self-training?"

Shiki laughed. "Nah, we can easily stay fit---it's just that some of us are really lazy...maybe most of us, to be honest. Also some guys take the class as an excuse to try to peep into the girls' locker rooms." Shiki said, the last bit with some exasperation (even though he could relate to them in some level)

"Peep?"

"You know, when men spy on women in underwear, that sort of thing."

Arcueid stopped in mid-walk and pondered the thought, tilting her head to the side. She then lifted her own skirt and took a look. Shiki balked at this, trying without success to form a coherent thought. Arcueid looked at her own underwear for a few more seconds before putting her skirt back in place.

"White," she said.

"Wha? Oh, uh, white...I see, um," Shiki rambled incoherently.

"I don't see what's fascinating about underwear," Arcueid said. "I doubt it's difficult for men to simply ask women instead and get a simple answer."

_The 'simple answer' will most likely hurt a lot in reality, Arcueid_, Shiki thought, amused at the child's naivette.

-----------------------------------------------------

The pair finally reached the base of the mountain. There were no flowers here, and the ground was either hard dirt or black rock. Lightning flashed near the top of the mountain, and Shiki could see a rough path snaking its way up the mountain's side.

"Well, we're finally at the mountain---now all we have to do is climb it," Shiki said, inspecting the path running up the mountain. His stomach suddenly grumbled. Unfortunately he had not had anything to eat since yesterday---judging by the number of passed hours on his watch. He started to look around for anything he could eat, whether it'd some sort of fruit or plant or...

Shiki stopped when he noticed what looked like a rabbit hop into view nearby and look curiously at Shiki with its black eyes, nose quivering. Shiki slowly pulled his knife out and approached the animal cautiously, the latter suddenly seeming to realize what was happening as it froze in its place.

"Now, now, don't you go anywhere, just be a good bunny and---_waaahh_!" Shiki dived, trying to tackle the animal. He kept missing and ended up chasing the animal up and down the front of the mountain. Arcueid watched all this transpire with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Shiki..."

"Not now, Arcueid! Have to catch this...thing... Ah! Damn, almost had you, _ack_, there we go!" Shiki had finally managed to tackle the creature and was about to knife it when he finally looked in Arcueid's direction and saw her holding up another rabbit creature...only bigger. He looked down at the squirming creature in his arms. He lifted his arms and let the rabbit creature scamper away. He walked up to Arcueid and looked at the creature more closely. "This isn't like any rabbit I've ever seen. Do you know what it is?

"Nope. I think we will see other strange creatures on this mountain," Arcueid replied.

"Probably," Shiki figured out loud, looking up at their destination.

-----------------------------------------------------

In time the pair had a nice fire going, the wood and fire provided courtesy of Arcueid, while Shiki roasted the bunny over a stick. Once it was suitably roasted, he pulled a nice-sized chunk and gave it to Arcueid, who accepted it. He took his own piece.

"_Itadakimasu_," he announced, out of habit, before taking his first bite. "Hey, this isn't bad. What do you think?"

"Mmm," was the only reply Arcueid gave as she ate through her piece. Shiki took this as an affirmative and leaned back against a rock, looking up at the sky, then at the mountain.

"I wonder what we'll find up there...if there even is anything up there at all," Shiki said, wondering out loud. "I wonder if I'll even actually find Arima or not. Speaking of that, do you have any relatives of any kind, Arcueid?"

Arcueid looked up for a moment before shaking her head.

"I see. I wonder if vampires even have relatives or families as we know it."

"Do you have relatives?" Arcueid asked.

"Yeah, I do. There's the Arimas I used to live with. They're about it, but I know that I used to be with a different family before I came to first live with the Tohnos. I can't remember anything from back then: relatives, family, friends... I don't know. Maybe I'll remember some day."

Shiki looked at Arcueid and chuckled when he saw the young vampire try to tear out an especially hard to tear out chunk from her piece, getting one of her fangs stuck in the process. Shiki helped untangle that and also wiped her mouth a bit with a tissue he had.

"Shiki," Arcueid suddenly spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we could stay friends even after we reach the mountain top?"

Shiki smiled. "I sure do hope so," he finally said.

-----------------------------------------------------

After a bit of rest, the pair was now trudging their way up the mountain path towards the top. The path wasn't that long, and Shiki estimated they could reach the top in less than an hour. It was strange how the mountain that looked so huge in the distance, now didn't seem so big after all from up-close. Strange indeed.

"...and then there's the holidays, when sometimes school gets out and sometimes it doesn't," Shiki had been saying.

"Holidays? What are holidays?" Arcueid asked.

"Oh, those are special days people set aside to celebrate something," Shiki answered. "Like Christmas. It's supposed to be the birthdate of Christ, or some pagan something, I don't remember. But people get together, have parties and give each other presents. There's a bunch of others, like Valetine's Day, White Day, stuff like that."

"Valentine's Day? What's that?"

"That? Oh _that_ day. That's when girls give chocolates to guys they like."

"It's not necessary that girls give chocolates to guys, right?"

"No, it's not necessary. Thanks to that, some guys don't get any chocolate at all for years and years." Shiki laughed at that thought for a moment. The pair approached a small clearing and stopped for a moment.

"But about Valentine's Day..." Shiki knelt down in front of Arcueid. "The girls who do give chocolates to the guys they like don't do it because they think it's necessary. They do it cause they want to. No one's telling them who to give their chocolate to or not to. Likewise, someone might want you to do something, saying that it's necessary, or they might keep you from doing something, saying that it's unnecessary, but in the end it's still your choice. Whether you feel it's the right thing to do and whether you want to or don't want to---that's what's going to matter in the end. Keep that in mind, okay?"

Arcueid's mouth hung open in surprise. She then nodded strongly and smiled. Shiki smiled in return and stood up, patting her head.

Their moment was interrupted when a beastial roar erupted from above them. The two glanced up to see a pack of wolf-like creatures bearing down on them from above. Shiki immediately pulled out his knife and pushed Arcueid behind himself. He reached up to his face with a hand out of sheer habit...and was surprised to feel his glasses. He took them off and was surprised even further when he still didn't see any lines or dots.

_Shit. My trump card's gone_, Shiki thought as he took his glasses off anyway and put them inside his jacket pocket, then flipped open his knife.

"Shiki," Arcueid spoke up from behind him.

"Stay back, okay?" Shiki cautioned her, just as the first creature scaled down the wall and rushed at him. Shiki pushed Arcueid out of harm's way then dodged slightly to the side, raking his knife downwards against the beast's side. The knife only made a minor cut against the monster's side. The monster roared in response and lashed out with a kick from its hindlegs, sending Shiki sprawling.

Shiki struggled to his feet just as one of the wolf beasts lunged at him. He could only barely dive out of the way as the creature flew past, one of its claws nicking him in the shoulder. Another rammed him from the side, sending him to the ground again. He had no time to react as the same beast leaped into the air and made a lunge for his throat.

A small, white shape suddenly came between Shiki and the beast and lashed out at the monster. There was a loud impact and the crunching of bones as the monster was propelled into the air and off the edge. It was Arcueid.

The wolf creatures, sensing a new opponent, began slowly circling Arcueid, who in turn tensed. One of the beasts rushed her. Arcueid spun and raked a clawed hand across its underbelly, splitting it in half. The others dove in at once. One spontaneously exploded into several pieces while another leapt straight at Arcueid. She stopped it, pushing against it with one hand and slashed it in half with the other. She stumbled when one knocked her off balance from behind. Another dashed in from the front and clamped its jawsto her midsection.

Arcueid's eyes widened and she cried out from the pain. The beast started to drag her around when Arcueid drove a fist down into its skull smashing it. And then another beast raked huge, bloody scratches into her back, sending her to her knees. She stayed there, breathing heavily, too pained to get up quickly. The remaining monsters, sensing their opportunity, readied their haunches for the final kill.

Shiki watched all this transpired with wide eyes. What was he doing? Why was he just sitting there? He saw the monsters prepare for the final attack, and snapped.

"_Noo! Never!_" Shiki screamed in rage as his eyes turned a light shade of blue and he dashed forward at an incredible speed. Images of Arcueid's smile and her clothes lying ownerless on the ground flashed through his mind. He was not going to let anyone die like that again. Ever.

His knife flashed and ran its way through one of the beast's. He then braked quickly and spun in place to carve giant, fatal cuts into another that had lunged at him in response. He then dashed once more, his body so low to the ground as to be almost touching it. He ran straight up the side of the cliff wall, stopped, then with a scream of rage sprang off of the cliff wall like a bullet, streaking toward the last beast.

"_Never!_"

The knife cleaved the monster's skull cleanly in half as Shiki spun and landed on his hands and feet. The best collapse onto the ground a moment later. Shiki breathed heavily as the rush died down. He put his glasses back on as his eye color returned to normal, and he turned to check on Arcueid. She was lying on her side, visibly breathing but obviously very injured.

He rushed over to her side and cradled her head.

"Arcueid, can you hear me?" he shouted.

"Not so loud..." Arcueid replied in a quiet voice.

Shiki looked down at the girl's body. Her white dress was stained with blood, both hers and the beasts'. The worst wound was in her midsection, with huge bite marks and massive damage. "You won't be moving, I presume," he said.

"I will heal, but it will take time," Arcueid answered. "You should go on to the top. I would be an unnecessary burden if you tried to take me with you."

Shiki shook his head furiously. He reached down, braced himself, and picked Arcueid up with both arms. He then resumed climbing up the mountain path.

"Shiki! I'll be fine, you don't need to take me with you, I'll only slow you down!" Arcueid insisted weakly.

"You do not leave friends behind. Ever! That's the truth, and I'm sticking to it. Leaving you behind there alone and unprotected might as well be the same as saying that I wouldn't care if you died. Well I'm sorry but I do care, so you'll have to put up with me carrying you up the rest of the way up this thing," Shiki said firmly.

Arcueid gazed up at him in wonder, then nodded, smiling. "Thank you."

"No problem," Shiki replied as he hiked up the path at a steady but quick pace.

A cool but soft breeze started to blow as Shiki made his way higher up the mountain with Arcueid in his arms. The breeze reminded him of that first fateful day he had met Arima and this whole mess began, which in turn reminded him of the day he had met Sensei.

"Shiki, those glasses," Arcueid spoke up, gazing up at them perched on Shiki's nose. "Are those important to you?"

"These? Yes they are," Shiki said, smiling. "You could say they were given to me as a gift of sorts. I call her Sensei. It was a bright day with a breeze just like this one." The breeze. Arcueid could feel it gently billowing against her face.

"She walked up to me, sat down next to me and talked to me like friend as if it were the most natural thing to do," Shiki went on. "She taught me everything. How to not try to grow up into a saint, but just become a man who is willing to do what he believes is right and is willing to apologize when he does something wrong. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be the person I am right now. And I'm thankful I met her."

"She sounds nice," Arcueid remarked.

"She is."

Shiki rounded another corner, and before he knew it, he was at the top. It was flat, like a plateau. Across from him, some fifty or so meters ahead was what looked like a giant gate.

"Can you put me down, I think I can stand," Arcueid said.

Shiki gently put her down and held her steady as she stood. He then gazed at the gate. "This looks like it," he said.

"It does. But I cannot go with you," Arcueid said.

Shiki spun around in shock. "What are you..."

"This is where we must part, but it will not be the last time we meet, I'm sure. I believe it so." Arcueid smiled warmly, gazing up at Shiki. "I wish you good luck in what's to follow, and I hope that you prevail. Stay to yourself, and like you said, do what you believe is right."

Shiki, though still a bit confused, nodded.

Arcueid reached up with her hands. Shiki kneeled down and Arcueid leaned forward, smiling warmly. She then kissed Shiki on the forehead softly. A bright light shined forth from Arcueid and seemed to illuminate everything. The wounds and blood on her body disappeared as did Shiki's. She stepped backwards away from Shiki. "Oh, and one more thing..."

Arcueid concentrated. A moment later an ornate piece of chocolate appeared in her hands. This she gave to Shiki, who accepted it.

"Accept it for the thought, if nothing else," she said, as she began to float away into the light. "Tohno Shiki..."

"Yes?" Shiki shouted as the wind and noise around the mountain top began to escalate.

"I'm happy to have gotten to know you and I'm proud to call you a friend. I wish you the best of everything." Arcueid then disappeared totally into the light. In almost an instant, the light, the noise, and wind died out to nothing and Shiki was on the mountain top, alone, the cool breeze blowing through. He looked down at the piece of chocolate in his hand and stuffed it in his mouth, smiling and enjoying the rich flavor. He then turned around and approached the gate, which spontaneously opened and spewed out an intense wave of light that swallowed Shiki up.

-----------------------------------------------------

Shiki traveled through the history and fabric of the universe, watching it unravel and disassemble. Then with a jerk, he was pulled into a chaos of light and sound. When it all ceased, Shiki opened his eyes to find himself standing on a marble platform floating in the middle of space.

It was actually not so much space as it was a border. Shiki could now see the lines and dots again, and they were all flowing and converging toward a single point far away. Closest to that point of convergence was a white castle, floating in the boundary between reality and being, and the end.

A castle at the end of the world.

Shiki knew it was where he had to go. He walked across the floating platforms and quickly reached the castle entrance, an enormous white gate that looked as if it were made of ivory. He moved towards it and raised a hand to knock when the gates unlocked automatically with a loud click, swinging open with a loud creak.

A blast of cool air buffeted Shiki from inside, forcing him to cover his face. The gale quickly died down to a gentle breeze. Shiki stepped inside the well-lit marble hall, noting that the breeze was the very same one he had been enjoying quite a few times often these past few days.

Shiki walked on down the hallway toward where he felt was the right way to go. In fact, he didn't have to go very far before he opened a door and was faced with an unbelievable sight.

It was a vast hall, but the far half of it had disappeared and was exposed to space, or whatever that nothingness filled with stars and colors was. A stone throne hung suspended from chains near the edge of what remained of the hall. And out there, beyond, was a mass of infinite colors and light. The Source. All the lines and dots were converging upon it. It was exactly as Shiki had seen in that dream.

The wind howled, fluttering Shiki's clothes and ruffling his hair. He stepped into the hall, glancing around the room.

"Welcome to Millennium Castle Brunestud! The number one tourist attraction here at the end of the world! Open twenty-four seven to all visitors, admission free!" a familiar voice called out above the howling wind.

The black-clad figure stepped out from behind a pillar. The howling wind suddenly died down to a soft breeze once more as the figure approached Shiki.

"Arima," Shiki said.

"Tohno," the other replied. "You took your sweet time getting here, even though we still have plenty of time to watch the universe dismantle. Here, in this castle, you can get a front seat view to the whole spectacle. Wonderous, isn't it? All those innumerable lines and dots converging into one, rejoining the whole."

Shiki smiled. He said, "I assume you haven't given up on returning everything to the Source?"

"Of course I haven't," Arima replied, spreading his hands out towards the Source. "The absolute truth has just taken one step closer to completion. It's a thrilling moment for me."

"Good for you. Not to rain on your parade, but I've already found the truth."

"Oh?" Arima turned to look at Shiki with mocking eyes. "And what did it tell you?"

"It can't be told or described. It can only be experienced. Your obsession with the Source is what blinds you to it."

"The Source _is_ the truth! Where else can the truth be?" Arima exclaimed, his eyes the same globes of white filled with amusement.

Shiki gazed straight at Arima. "Do you remember that grassy hill near Miss Henry's place? Overlooking a valley with a small city in the middle? You used to sit on that hill, feeling that breeze. Arcueid would run up to you and sit next to you, materialize a piece of chocolate because you were hungry and you forgot to bring lunch. And then she would tell you that she'll be going to your school. And then she raced you to Miss Henry's and she would win all the time. You remember that, right?"

Arima stared at Shiki as if the latter had grown a second head.

"Ha...Haha...Hahahahahahahahahaha!" Arima burst out laughing, clutching his sides. A mocking, tainted laughter that filled and echoed through the hall. "Hilarious! Ridiculous! Ludicrous! Oh, please do tell me those things again, won't you?" Arima lost control and laughed again.

"I guess you don't see it," Shiki said, lowering and shaking his head.

"It is laughable. It's a notion of infinite moronitude to think that people and scenery are what compose the truth! Miss Henry's muffins? Are they suddenly divine? Feh! Let me tell you a truth Tohno---one that you should remember well!"

Arima extended a hand as if to reach out for something. "_People do not last,_" he stated, closing his hand into a fist as if to crush something. "They do not last. In a hundred years, they might be mentioned. In a thousand years, they are not even a scribble on a random sheet of paper. When a person is remembered throughout the ages it is because of the work he has done, the legacy he has left behind! Work and legacy---these things _last!_ The hero himself is gone forever, cast out of all meaningfulness!

"That is truth, Tohno Shiki. When you die, you as a person will live on inside your loved ones for however long they live, or until they die, after which the only thing you will be remembered for will be that most special ability of yours: the connection. Even Arcueid, who is an immortal, died out as well, and with her goes the memory of you as a person.

"Now objects, materials of great value and legacy, _they_ are truly valuable and irreplaceble! Anyone could easily sacrifice a billion people for a single ancient stone tablet. Eventually people will fuck and breed like rabbits enough for that 1 billion to be replaced. The worth of an individual? Ha! What is the worth of an individual without the work or kinds of contributions he can make? Anyone with sufficient training and intellect can replace that first easily!"

Arima stopped. "Ehem, my point is," he continued, "that it is laughable to think that such inconsequential and transient things as people could be immediate key components of the absolute truth."

"Is that what you think?" Shiki spoke up. "In contrast, people are more valuable because of the fact that they do not last. Their short lives and existences make their unique presences all the more valuable for that short time they are around. At least, that is another way of looking at it."

"It appears we are at ends," Arima declared.

"Looks like the Source's blinded you too much. Literally, in fact. Looks like I'll have to carry out what I came here to do," Shiki said, taking out his knife and opening it.

"In that case, let us find out which of us will have the honor of returning to the glory that is the Source first, shall we?" Arima replied, his own knife popping out of its holster. He grasped it and flipped open the blade. He dropped into his stance, waiting for the other to do the same.

"First though," Shiki said. He grabbed his knife and aimed it at his own head. He found the dot he was looking for and pierced it. A blinding pain filled his senses for a brief moment before disappearing. "Now I'm ready." His eyes turned blue and he dropped into a very low stance, almost touching the ground.

"Alright. Let's have at each other," Arima said.

The two burst into action. Shiki dashed across the floor like a spider, calling on his reawakened Nanaya memories, scaled up the wall then bounced back, aiming for Arima's death dot. The other spun like a top and knocked aside the blade, returning with a stab of his own, which Shiki shifted away from.

The two backed away from each other, then rushed again, blades clashing, sending sparks into the air. Arima slashed at the air and teleported behind Shiki, who had anticipated that move and leaped into the air out of reach. Arima aimed at Shiki's death dot and slashed out at it. Shiki countered by hitting the death dot of that slash. Apparently Arima could slice the dots and lines of things from far away. If that was so...

Shiki hit the ceiling, dashed across it and down the wall and finally toward Arima, who turned a half-circle, and lashed out, catching Shiki's arm with a light slash, barely missing the line. Shiki dashed past, tripping the other at the same time. He then stabbed at the floor.

The part of the floor that Arima was on collapsed into empty space outside. In response, Arima slashed at the air. Suddenly Shiki felt himself weightless. Arima had killed the gravity in the room. While Shiki momentarily flailed in disorientation, Arima smirked and slashed, teleporting to the nearest wall. He pushed off with his legs with all his strength, slashing at Shiki as he flashed past.

Shiki barely blocked that slash, and barely dodged the second dash that came a split-second later. He wasn't going to last if he stayed weightless in the center of the room like this. As Arima sped towards him on a third dash, Shiki lashed out with a kick, catching Arima in the shoulder. The force sent Arima crashing into a wall and Shiki into the throne hanging aimlessly near the edge of the room. The chains holding it to the ceiling creaked. One of them broke as Shiki hung onto the stone throne.

Arima sensed the opportunity and teleported to the ceiling and then stabbed. The ceiling began crumbling. Shiki braced against the throne and pushed off with all his strength, sending him rocketing away from the throne and into the hall while the throne, chains, and parts of the ceiling fell into the Source.

As Shiki rocketed back into the room, Arima appeared out of thin air in his path. Shiki knew the other intended to kick him back out, so he concentrated his eyes and stabbed just Arima lashed out with a kick that hit Shiki in the chest and would've sent him back out, had the air in a spherical volume behind Arima not just been killed by Shiki. The vacuum force sent them smashing through the throne room door and into the hall outside where there was gravity.

The two leapt back onto their feet just as the castle trembled and more of the throne room separated and fell into the Source. Arima and Shiki rushed each other in the relatively narrow hallway, bouncing off of walls and the floor and ceiling, their knives sending sparks into the air. This pattern went on until it abruptly ended when Arima scored a kick to Shiki's jaw and then killed Shiki's knife, shattering it. Shiki flew back into the wall behind him, coughing.

"Well then, looks like this is more or less over, don't you think?" Arima commented mockingly.

Shiki merely coughed and slowly stood up.

"Your weapon's been destroyed. You have no chance. Will you not change your mind and join me? This is your last chance," Arima said.

Shiki stayed silent, breathing heavily.

Arima pointed at the open throne room door and the Source visible beyond it. "Look at it, Tohno! _Just look at it!_ The beginning and end of all things, the homeplace of the absolute truth! The answer to all questions! Don't you want to see it? Aren't you even the slightest bit curious?" Arima shouted.

Shiki glared at Arima. "I already told you before," Shiki said. "I've already seen the real truth, and I won't join you to destroy more of it. And I won't just stand by and watch you do your thing either."

"Oh? And what will you do? Scratch me? Foolish! I see _everything_. You are helpless against me."

"No...you're wrong," Shiki replied, a slight smirk on his face. "You see _nothing_."

Arima watched Shiki stab a dot within himself with his fingernail. Suddenly, Shiki vanished. His lines and dots...his everything...simply disappeared into thin air.

"What the? How..." Arima could not finish that sentence before Shiki grabbed Arima's knife arm and, with a grunt of effort, tore it out of its socket. Arima screamed in pain. Shiki's dots and lines reappeared just as Shiki snatched Arima's knife out of his now dead fingers and stabbed Arima's death dot.

Arima gasped. His death dot was not fully pierced but he could feel his essence---his _being_ tottering on the edge between existence and end.

"I used my fingernail to cut my own connection to the Source. Completely," Shiki spoke. "You claim you can see everything because everything that originates and ends at the Source is visible to you, in other words anything that has a connection to the Source. _That_ is your fatal weakness You see nothing but the Source, therefore when I disconnected myself briefly from it, I, for all intents and purposes, ceased to exist in your eyes.

"But I can still see. Colors, shapes, the faces of people...everything that a normal human being would see. That's why even with my connection to the Source severed I could still see you. And now, here we are."

Arima could barely breathe. "I must admit," he managed to gasp, "that was _very_ brilliant. You receive my admiration---_aaargh!_"

"Do you see it yet, Arima? _Do you see it?_" Shiki shouted.

Arima saw it. His life flashing before his eyes. His early childhood, the day he first met a shy Shinso girl named Arcueid, their time at school together, and more. And just for a brief moment, an endless grassy hill. A cool, gentle breeze under a blue, blue sky. Himself sitting on the grass, Arcueid next to him---the two of them chatting about meaningless but fun things.

Now he knew.

"Perfection..." Arima gasped.

"That's it. The 'absolute truth' as you call it is actually 'absolute perfection.'" Shiki explained. "A moment of total contentment and peace---where nothing else matters but you, your friends and loved ones, and the beautiful world. So perfect that even the Source pales to its sheer impact. You said before that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What you missed was that to appreciate the whole, you need all of its parts in the big picture as well. Only by appreciating _everything_ can you truly grasp the big picture, and the 'truth.' Without the parts, you have nothing. Everything minus everything is zero. If you had succeeded in your mission, you would have found not the answer, but simple nothing.

"Think of it as me saving you a few more centuries of pointless work," Shiki said, smiling a bit.

"What a way of putting it," Arima replied. "I understand now."

Shiki nodded and pushed the knife all the way in. The life left Arima's eyes as his essence and being disappeared and returned to the Source.

It was over.

Shiki looked out and gazed at the Source. Suddenly the entire castle trembled once more, far more strongly than before. Shiki stumbled as the walls, ceiling and floor disintegrated and fell toward the Source. The entire universe continued its death throes.

Shiki was no doubt in a bit of a pinch. What was he going to do? He frantically searched his mind for possible answers as he fell closer toward the Source. If he did the wrong thing, everything could go completely to hell.

_Do what you believe is the right thing to do_.

Shiki suddenly remembered. It was a gamble, but it was the right thing to do, or so he believed. He pushed against a nearby piece of the floor and propelled himself through the weightless space between the remains of the castle and the Source.

As Shiki neared the Source, the light and colors grew more varied and more intense as he floated closer. The lines and dots were now so tightly clustered that they might as well be just a red mass. He swallowed down the rest of his doubt and dove into the light.

Everything. Everyone. All, none. Shiki was one with the Source. He could see everything that was the Source. The past, present, and the future all revealed themselves to him. The flood of light and the influence of the Source was tearing Shiki's mind apart, tearing at his essence, the weight of it all crushing him.

This was it. He summoned every bit of will he had and raised the knife to his chest. He aimed it toward his death dot and with a final burst of effort, drove it into the dot with all his might.

The world exploded.

-----------------------------------------------------

Ending

Arima Shiki awoke to the sight of his own hand. He stared at it for a few seconds before realizing with shock that he could actually _see_ his own hand again. The lines and dots were gone. He could see his own hand, his own body, and, if he had a mirror, his own face.

He looked around at where he was. A floor like a mirror, stretching on in all directions for what seemed like eternity. The last thing he remembered was Tohno ending his existence. How did he come here?

"Oh, look who I find!" a grizzly, voice called from behind him.

Arima turned around to face the stranger. No lines, no dots. He could actually see the man's face now. He could see faces for the first time in centuries. The fact seemed almost unreal and alien to him.

Red eyes, grey hair, a strong but gentle face. Arima had seen that face before.

"Wizard Marshall Zelretch," Arima thought out loud.

"Correct, Arima Shiki.," Zelretch replied. "Quite a job Tohno Shiki has done to existence."

"What? He did what?"

"I will explain everything to you along the way."

"Along the way? To where?"

"Anywhere you'd like," Zelretch said, spreading his hands.

Arima thought for a few seconds, but there was really only one place in the entire cosmos he wanted to go to right now.

Arima smiled warmly for the time in a long time. "I'd like to go home now," he said.

Zelretch nodded and together they left.

-----------------------------------------------------

Tohno Shiki woke up to the warm sensation of sunlight basking down on him and the sound of cicadas. He sat up and looked around. He was on the porch of the detached house in the Tohno premises. He was home, but how had he come back here? The last thing he remembered was the world seeming to explode.

There was a sound of footstep to his right. Shiki turned to his right to see a Japanese woman with short black hair wearing a blue kimono and a red jacket. She gazed down at him with a calm expression.

Shiki scratched his head. "Excuse me...you are..."

"Ryougi Shiki," the stranger replied. "An honor to meet you, Tohno Shiki."

"You're also a Shiki," Shiki noticed.

Ryougi nodded and sat down next to the other. "It's usually rare that the world feels this beautiful," she said, "but nowdays it's been becoming a regularity. All thanks to you."

"All thanks to me?"

Ryougi nodded and pointed at his glasses. "Try taking those off."

Shiki did so and immediately noticed that he could see no lines or dots anywhere. "They... They're gone... How..."

"Nothing's wrong with your glasses. What's change is existence itself."

Shiki looked at the other questioningly.

"What do you last remember," Ryougi asked.

Shiki poured through his memory. "I remember diving into the Source, and then piercing my death dot."

"The Source is the beginning and end of all things," Ryougi said. "All things come to being from it and return to it when their existence fails to have meaning. But your pierced your death dot when you were one with the Source---in a sense, you pierced the Source's death dot."

"So you're saying that I basically killed the Source," Shiki noted.

"That is more or less what happened. Now, what do you think happens to everything if the Source ceases to exist?"

"There's no beginning or end so it's..."

"Yes. A line of infinite length, with no perceivable beginning or end. Everything is, and will be forever. In this condition, no one truly dies when they are killed. No one is truly forgotten and nothing is really lost.

"You discovered that perfect moment...that 'absolute truth,' did you not?"

"I did."

"Everything lasts forever, to some degree or form. The world as we knew it before this change was one riddled with starts and stops. Moments of truth---perfection---as you experienced during the end of this universe, were all too brief---to quick to end. But now..." Ryougi looked around at the perfect atmosphere all around. "You have taken the closest thing to pure paradise and realized it for the whole of existence. Congratulations."

"Whoa... This is all so much, I..." Shiki tried to say.

"Shiki!" a familiar voice called from afar. Shiki's head spun toward that direction.

"Tohno! What the hell are you doing out there? The party's about to start!"

"Yes, Shiki-sama, please join us."

"Tohno-kun!"

Shiki almost couldn't believe it. Everyone he knew and cared about was here. Arcueid, Ciel, Akiha, Hisui, Kohaku, Arihiko, Ren, and even Satsuki, were all well and beckoning him to come from where they were near the main house.

"Th---this is..." Shiki turned toward Ryougi but she was not there.

"Nii-san! Don't you dare keep the rest of us waiting any longer!"

"Shiki, hurry up!"

Shiki turned to the approaching group and called out, "I'm coming, hang on!"

Shiki picked his glasses up from where he had taken them off. The lines and dots were gone so he technically didn't need the glasses.

After a moment's thought he put them back on. They reminded him of Sensei, and all the good things in the world. Plus, he probably looked better in them anyway. Shiki thought about what to tell them---sooner or later he would have to break the news that he couldn't see the lines anymore to Ciel and Arcueid.

The group called out to him again. Without sparing another moment's thought he got up and made his way toward his friends and family.

The news could wait. Right now Shiki had a party to join in.

So he ran, off to embrace the beautiful world.

-----------------------------------------------------

**ad Infinatum**


End file.
